Dangan Ronpa 2 and a Half
by Purplefox135
Summary: Okay, so the story goes mostly along the plot of the original Danganronpa 2 game, however two new characters have been added in and will thus change the story here and there. It might change more drastically the further in I get, depending. Warning for spoilers for Danganronpa 2 if you haven't played the game or watched someone else play. Hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Thank you so much for reading my Fic! First up, I do not own Dangan Ronpa in any way or any of their characters. The only two characters that are mine are my OC's.**

 **Other little things that are important to know:**

 **This story is based off of text from the game, so it will be spoiler heavy if you haven't played the game yet. If you have, sorry for the long spans of similar/same dialogue and I hope the more the story goes on to make it different.**

 **This is an AU, obviously, but I am going to try my best to keep the characters in character.**

 **I will not be doing a lot of free time events in here other than a few I really love and the ones for my characters to better flesh them out. There are just too many choices for the free time events and I'm only one person.**

 **I have kept them reading Japanese even though the story is in English, but I have put personal names then family names like in English and mostly use personal names.**

 **I will be shipping OC's with Canon Characters.**

 **The story here starts when they are leaving Jabberwock Park after discovering the timer.**

 **I would love it if you all could review! Even bad review's are good, they help me know what I can work on as an author!**

 **With that all out of the way, I hope you all enjoy the fic!**

 **Chapter 1**

"Woah woah woah!" Monokuma hummed, showing up out of nowhere as everyone was about to leave Jabberwock Park, causing everyone to jump.

"M-Monokuma!" Hajime exclaimed.

"What do you want you want you insufferable bear?" Byakuya huffed.

"Insufferable? Jeez, you could hurt a guy's feelings with words like that! And here I was trying to be nice and tell you something important." Monokuma sighed, shaking his head.

"W-Why would we trust you?!" Kazuichi yelled out.

"Yes, you are our captor after all…Forcing us to stay on this island unless we murder one another." Peko agreed.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to, but those two are gonna be awful confused~"

"…Those two? Who are you talking about? We're all here." Nagito pointed out, looking thoughtful.

"Well, you were until they showed up! They should still be at the first beach where you arrived for now, but they could easily start exploring! And I'm only giving you chumps an hour to find them and introduce yourselves before I let them know about the killing game!" Monokuma chuckled, then pulling out his claws, "And you know what they say; it's a lot easier to kill someone if you don't know 'em and they don't know you! Anyways, Toodleoo! ~" And with that, Monokuma was gone again.

' **Them…? First beach…?'** Hajime thought as he looked around at the other shocked faces.

"…Well, I suppose we should start heading to the beach, correct?" Sonia stated.

"What? What if it's a trap?!" Mahiru scolded, crossing her arms.

"What if it's not?" Byakuya interfered, everyone looking to him, "If there really are two new people on this island for some reason, that we know nothing about, Monokuma is unfortunately correct: Not meeting them would be very dangerous for all of us, and for them."

"That's right…If we decided not to go as a group, a killer could sneak off and find them on their own and kill the both of them, or get killed by them." Nagito agreed.

"W-Would any of us really do that…?" Mikan worried, trembling slightly.

"It's best not to take the chance. And even if it is a trap, I promise you as your leader I will do my very best to get us all out of it." Byakuya swore.

"Wow, Ham Hands is really on the ball." Hiyoko joked with a laugh.

"Well, what are we waiting around here for?~ Let's gooooo!~" Ibuki cheered, running off, Akane following close by. With that, it was hard for anyone else to argue the situation and they all followed their and Byakuya's lead.

It wasn't long til they arrived at the beach, everyone looking around for the two they were supposed to find.

"Like, Ibuki's not seeing anyone!" Ibuki huffed.

"Yeah, do you think that bear was lyin' to us?" Akane wondered, crossing her arms.

"Well, if he was, what would be his motive?" Nagito questioned.

"To lure us into a trap of course!" Kazuichi exclaimed.

"Unlikely. If this was a trap, then it probably would have already been sprung." Byakuya puzzled, looking around still, "More likely, as we made our way over here, they ended up departing to explore and understand their surroundings." Hajime looked at his watch.

"We have about 45 minutes to find them before Monokuma tells them what's going on." Hajime muttered.

"Well then, I think it's best that we split up and look for them." Sonia declared.

"Don't you think that would be the worst idea?" Chiaki replied.

"What do you mean?" Hajime wondered.

"Well, if we don't find them before the time limit is up, then we're all spread out and it would be easier for them to start taking us down if they felt inclined to do so." Chiaki thought aloud, "Especially since we know nothing about what they're capable of."

"You're right…But we won't find them quick enough in such a big group of sixteen people…" Nagito muttered thoughtfully.

"Well, it's not like there are a lot of options for where they could go, right?" Kazuichi muttered, "It's not like we need to split up into super small groups…Just enough to search Jabberwock Park, the hotel area, corral, airport, and the supermarket."

"That would be enough for four groups of three with one group of four." Mahiru agreed, crossing her arms, "If the groups are lined up right, we should be able to handle it if we run into any unexpected problems."

"As much as I hate to admit it, splitting up is probably the best option. Alright then, Teruteru, Kazuichi, and Peko will search the airport." Byakuya assigned.

"Understood." Peko agreed.

"Ooh, some alone time with Ms. Peko~" Teruteru hummed.

"Hey, don't go forgetting about me!" Kazuichi huffed, the three going off towards their destination.

"Mikan, Hiyoko, and I will check the supermarket." Byakuya reported.

"Aw, stuck with Ham Hands and Pig barf." Hiyoko pouted.

"W-why would you say th-that?!" Mikan stuttered.

"Mahiru, Sonia, and Akane will search the corral."

"Alright, sounds fun!~" Akane chuckled.

"I'll do it, I guess…" Mahiru muttered.

"I will do my very best!" Sonia cheered, those three leaving towards the Corral, Sonia and Mahiru running after a pumped up Akane.

"Gundham, Ibuki, and Nekomaru can search Jabberwock Park."

"Ah yes, the park…I'm sure my Four Dark Devas of Destruction will easily sniff out anything or anyone hiding there." Gundham stated with a smirk.

"Ibuki is totally on it! No tree will be left unchecked!" Ibuki chuckled.

"Alright! Let's do it!" Nekomaru agreed, pumped up as the three of them left.

"That leaves Nagito, Hajime, Chiaki, and Fuyuhiko to search the hotel. I'm assigning the four of you because the Hotel area is a larger space."

"Alright, I'll help however I can." Nagito smiled happily.

"It'll be important to find them quickly, hiding games can often be tricky." Chiaki muttered.

"I'm just gonna go back to my cottage anyways, I guess I'll take a brief glance on my way." Fuyuhiko sighed.

"Let's go then." Hajime agreed, the four setting off as Byakuya, Hiyoko, and Mikan left for their destination.

When they arrived, Fuyuhiko-true to his word-began immediately walking towards his cottage, in no rush at all.

"So, Hajime, where should we search first ya think?" Nagito wondered. Hajime shrugged.

"I dunno…Why don't you pick? You're the Ultimate Lucky Student after all, maybe we'll get lucky?" Hajime suggested. Nagito chuckled.

"I guess that's a safe bet. How about the restaurant then? Maybe they got hungry." Nagito suggested.

"That's a fair guess, let's go." Chiaki agreed, all of them walking up the stairs. It seems Nagito's luck was working just as well as ever, seeing as the second they walked in, Hajime's eyes immediately fell upon a girl sitting at a table and reading a book while she ate. She was wearing thin sweatpants and a black hoodie with purple strings as well as purple inside of the hood. Her hair was short, and a dark reddish brown, as well as messy and all over the place. Her skin was pale, freckles all across her face as a pair of large black glasses sat in front of two green eyes. She hadn't seemed to have notice them yet, the three just staring at her for a moment.

"Hey, I think we found one!" Nagito hummed, the girl finally noticing at the voice, looking over and adjusting her glasses then smiling.

"Oh, hi there! I'm glad someone else is here…I was getting a little worried we were the only ones on the island." She greeted warmly.

"We?" Hajime questioned.

"Hey, Mizuki, there was no one in the ki-" Another voice greeted as they came in, then looking alarmed at the three new people in the room. She had long blond hair tied up into a pony tail, smaller gray glasses on her nose in front of blue eyes, a blue tank top dress, and brown boots.

"Wha-? Hey who are you?! Are you why we're here?!" The girl accused, glaring as the other, apparently Mizuki, stood up, setting her book down as she gave a small smile.

"Calm down Bi-kun, I don't think we should-"

"Don't say my name in front of them! They could be dangerous!"

"Waaaaah! I'm sorry! You said my name so I thought it was okay!" Mizuki fretted, "A-At any rate, I don't think they're dangerous…They seem nice enough don't they?"

"You can't know if someone is dangerous or not by just looking at them!"

"H-Hey, everybody calm down!" Hajime plead, the two looking to him, "We're not dangerous, I promise. We're part of a group of students that got trapped here, same as you. I'm Hajime. Hajime Hinata." Mizuki smiled, flashing a peace sign.

"Nice to meet you Hajime! I'm Mizuki! Mizuki Tenjo!" She introduced. 'Bi-kun' frowned as Mizuki reached out a hand to shake.

"You said 'group' right? How many people are here? How did you get trapped here? Who brought us here?" 'Bi-kun' demanded.

"Oh come on Bi-kun, don't overwhelm them…Introduce yourself first!"

"Not until I get answers!"

"Well, I can try to answer those for ya. There are currently sixteen people besides you here. We were brought here by a stuffed rabbit named Monomi from Hope's Peak Academy, but a stuffed bear named Monokuma has taken over and is now the one keeping us trapped. As for how you two got here…I'd have to say something Monokuma did, considering he was the one who told us you two had arrived and to go look for you." Nagito answered happily. Mizuki and 'Bi-kun' stared open mouthed at him.

"...Who is this guy and what is he on?" 'Bi-kun' inquired.

"Oh, sorry, I'm Nagito. Nagito Komaeda. Pleased to meet you!" Nagito greeted warmly.

"And he's not on anything. Unfortunately what Nagito has told you is the truth of what's happening here…I also agree with the speculation that Monokuma is behind this." Chiaki told them, "My name is Chiaki by the way. Chiaki Nanami." It was at that moment that Monokuma popped up, making Hajime, Mizuki, and 'Bi-kun' jump.

"Hey, hey! Don't go throwing around accusations like that!" Monokuma told them, "I wasn't the one to bring them here!"

"Then…Was it Monomi?" Nagito questioned.

"Could be, though I doubt it with the state she's in now. I've usurped all her powers!~" Monokuma hummed.

"But…How else could they have gotten here?" Hajime questioned.

"Um, so everyone's just cool with the fact that a talking stuffed animal is here?" Mizuki pointed out.

"I'm not a stuffed animal! I'm Monokuma! Headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy!"

"Who would make a teddy bear a headmaster…?" 'Bi-kun' muttered.

"Watch it sister."

"Wait…Hope's Peak Academy…?" Mizuki mumbled.

"Yeah, remember I said we're all from there." Nagito replied with a smile.

"I remember…Me and Bi-kun were about to walk in, but when we went through the door, we ended up falling through blackness…and I woke up on the beach." Mizuki recalled.

"You two are students of Hope's Peak as well?" Chiaki stated.

"Yup!~" Mizuki chirped happily.

"Well, as nice as this all is, I've already told the others that you found them, so everyone needs to head towards Jabberwock Island to meet up and so I can tell these two the situation! Also, I want to give you all a bonus prize for finding these two before my time limit was up! Aren't I generous?~ Attendance is mandatory!" Monokuma told them before he disappeared again.

"…Looks like we should probably go…" Hajime sighed.

"…We're all listening to it?" 'Bi-kun' muttered.

"Trust me, he's dangerous…" Hajime replied, "Let's just go, the others will be waiting."

"Come on Bi-kun, we won't get anywhere just staying here anyways." Mizuki replied, following the other three, a reluctant 'Bi-kun' following.

It wasn't long until they reached the park, everyone gathered up and waiting before Nagito, Mizuki, Chiaki, 'Bi-kun', and Hajime walked up.

"About fuckin' time you got here, I was around the same place as you guys and I was here a while ago." Fuyuhiko griped.

"Yes, but at any rate you found them right? The ones Monokuma was talking about?" Byakuya questioned. Mizuki smiled and hopped forward.

"Hiya! I'm Mizuki! Mizuki Tenjo!" Mizuki hummed happily, extending her hand out with a smile. Byakuya looked shocked by her forwardness, going to shake her hand before 'Bi-kun' yanked her back.

"Mizuki, we still don't know anything about them!" 'Bi-kun' scolded. Mizuki pouted.

"We know that they're in the same situation as us-"

"Supposedly."

"And they're Hope's Peak Academy students like us-"

"SUPPOSEDLY."

"And that that weird bear thing is probably the reason we're all here."

"Hey! I'm not a weird bear thing! I'm Monokuma!" Monokuma huffed, appearing from nowhere once more.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Kazuichi shouted, Fuyuhiko scoffing.

"Get a grip why don't ya…" He muttered.

"Monokuma, what is the meaning of this?" Byakuya demanded.

"I just wanted to facilitate everyone's introductions! That's all! Also, I wanted to give you all your bonus prize! But, introductions first! Everyone get in a nice little circle, and state your name and Ultimate Talent, Capiche?" Monokuma instructed, no one was happy about it, but didn't want to see what Monokuma would do if they refused, all getting into a circle, "Let's start with Byakuya, shall we?"

"Tch, okay then, if you insist. As he says, I am Byakuya. Byakuya Togami. I am the Ultimate Affluent Progeny." Byakuya stated.

"Like, my name's Ibuki! Ibuki Mioda! And I, am the Ultimate Musician!"

"Mahiru. Mahiru Koizumi. I'm the ultimate photographer."

"Sonia, Sonia Nevermind. It is a pleasure to meet you! I am the Ultimate Princess."

"You already met me, but I'm Nagito. Nagito Komaeda. I'm known as the Ultimate Lucky Student, for whatever that's worth, ha ha!"

"O-oh, u-um, is it m-my turn….? AH! I'm s-sorry to k-keep you w-waiting, um, I-I'm Mikan…Mikan Tsumiki…A-and I'm the U-ultimate Nurse…S-so if you get h-hurt, j-just come my way."

"Who would ever want to go to a sack of Pig shit like you?"

"WAAAAHHH! Why would you s-say that so suddenly?!"

"Anyways, I'm Hiyoko. Hiyoko Saionji. I'm the Ultimate Traditional Dancer."

"Name's Kazuichi Soda! But you can call me Kazuichi if you want. I'm the Ultimate Mechanic."

"And I, am Teruteru Hanamura! Technically, I'm the Ultimate Cook, but I love the title Ultimate Chef so much more, has more of a…big city taste to it. By the way, out of curiosity, you said your name was Mizuki earlier, correct…?" Teruteru inquired, looking thoughtful as he raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, that's me!" Mizuki replied with a smile.

"Well, What's your bust size?~" Mizuki looked at Teruteru shocked, as did 'Bi-kun', though everyone else looked less shocked and more disturbed.

"Wh-Wha?!" Mizuki exclaimed.

"What are you thinking asking something like that out of nowhere?!" 'Bi-kun' exclaimed, blushing flustered.

"Well, normally it's easy for me to tell, but that hoodie is so dark colored and baggy that I can't tell what's just cloth and what's actually there…" Teruteru muttered thoughtfully, holding his chin.

"W-Well I'm a double d-"

"WHY WOULD YOU JUST TELL HIM THAT?!"

"H-he asked nicely…"

"Anyways, um, if that's over with…" Chiaki interrupted so they couldn't keep fighting, "I'm Chiaki. Chiaki Nanami. The Ultimate Gamer."

"My name's Fuyuhiko. Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu. I'm the Ultimate Yakuza." Fuyuhiko grinned, expecting to see two girls like them shaking in their boots, but they honestly didn't seem too impressed, Mizuki just smiling brightly at him before turning to hear the next introduction, and 'Bi-kun' gave him a look like: 'I dare ya' before turning her head as well.

"I'm Akane Owari! Nice to meet ya! I'm the Ultimate Gymnast!"

"My name is Peko Pekoyama. I am the Ultimate Swordswoman. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"The name is Gundham Tanaka! Take heed to not forget it, lest darkness befall you all! I have a very high level of skill in Magical Beast keeping!" Gundham announced, both of the girls looking very confused.

"...um…"

"H-He's the Ultimate Breeder." Hajime explained. Both girls raised an eyebrow, seeming even a tad flustered at the suggestion. "A-Ah, He deals with Animals!"

"Oooooohhhh…." The girls sounded off in unison.

"A-Anyways, I guess that just leaves me…You already know my name…Hajime Hinata…And, well…um…I don't really remember my talent right now…This whole situation left me pretty out of it…" Hajime admitted. Mizuki gave a bright smile.

"That's okay! I guess that means it's my turn!~" Mizuki smiled brightly, flashing a peace sign, "My name is Mizuki Tenjo, and I'm the Ultimate Author! I'm so glad to meet you all!" All eyes now turned to 'Bi-kun' who frowned, not really wanting to introduce herself but seeing Mizuki's smiling face, giving in with a sigh.

"My name is Biyuki Aishi." She introduced, rubbing her arm.

"Biyuki…? I've never heard that name before…" Hajime muttered.

"My parents decided they wanted to create a new name for me…Something that sounded nice…So they combined 'Bi' for beautiful and 'Yuki' for snow…" Biyuki muttered, crossing her arms and closing her arms, "My parents are the 'creative type'...At any rate, my talent is labeled the Ultimate Artist."

"And I'm Monomi! The Ultimate Teacher!" Monomi announced as she appeared from nowhere, making almost everyone jump.

"There's TWO?!" Biyuki cried out alarmed.

"Hey hey, don't compare me to that bully Monokuma, please, I'm your friend!" Monomi plead.

"No one asked for your introduction Monomi, such a dumb child you are…But your timing couldn't be better! As a bonus, I've decided to give you…" Monokuma left then quickly came back in an odd outfit, "An early screening of my two person comedy show! I was gonna show you all later tonight, but since we're here already, I'll go ahead and give it now!"

"Two person…? Who's the second person?" Hajime questioned. It was only a second more before Monomi appeared wearing a pink colored dress with a flower.

"Wha-wha-huh?! What am I wearing?!"

"Your outfit for our show!"

"Our show?! I wasn't told about this!"

"It's okay, just do your best! Afterwards I will explain to the newbies the situation they've found themselves in, and as a little extra-cause I'm so nice-tell you all some neato facts about them!"

"Neato facts?" Mizuki questioned, tilting her head, "Ah! You mean like the time I gave myself a gash with a tape dispenser?"

' **That's not neat at all!'** Hajime thought alarmed.

"No, no, more interesting stuff! That's the real bonus here! But we'll save that for after the routine! Come on Monomi, Let's give them a good show!" Monokuma announced. In another moment, the two were on stage.

"Goood evening everyone! I'm Monokuma!"

"Um…and I-I'm Monomi…"

"And together we're the Monokumas!" The two said at once.

"Well then, let's get things moving. I will now exhibit my special mind reading technique!"

"Eh? You have one?!"

"Let's try it out! I'm going to guess your favorite food. Let's see… Your favorite food is…"

"You can do it! Here's a hint: I'm a rabbit!"

"Ca…"

"Go on!" Monomi encouraged.

"…davers!"

"What? I do not eat dead people!"

"It's your turn now, Monomi! Let's hear your best killer joke!"

"W…What are you talking about?! I…I'm no killer!"

"Oh, you'll be fine. It's easy! You just have to know the secret to appeasing the God of Comedy…Speaking of, which do you think is better: draining your blood while you're still alive, or waiting until after you die?"

"Why such a cruel question?!" Monomi yelled.

"The God of Comedy, Miracle Rorion, will grant you the lifeblood of comedy… in return for a large amount of your blood!"

"That's horrible! Why does the God of Comedy want blood?!"

"Pretty please?!" Monokuma plead.

"I will not be wooed by your sweet talk! I won't let you have even a drop of my blood!" Monomi scolded, Monokuma laughing and shaking a paw.

"Monomi gets angry very quickly, doesn't she…? You bastards should be careful too. Monomi is dangerous when she's angry…She's like the tutorial boss in the first dungeon!" Monokuma warned.

"That's not menacing at all!"

"Well, OK… but she's definitely a bad girl. You see, just between you and me…Monomi… selfishly stole you guys' memories!"

"What t'heck!" Monomi exclaimed before looking more confused, "…I mean… huh?" Monokuma turned to his shocked audience, who weren't sure whether to believe it or not.

"Not one of you remembers how you arrived on this island, do you? That's because Monomi took your memories away!"

"W…What are you saying?!" Monomi shouted, obviously alarmed.

"By the way, those memories she stole? They aren't just some silly, clichéd stuff like the details of your arrival here, Oh no… She took away several years you all spent at Hope's Peak Academy!"

"…Howawa!?"

"Siiiigh… It's such a relief to get that out in the open! Memory loss is so old fashioned, after all…A cheap story would shamelessly leave that revelation hanging until the endgame! Can you imagine?! Fortunately, I'm not that cowardly." Monokuma hummed happily.

"S…Stop it, please!"

"Upupupu. Surprised? You bastards aren't actually freshmen! But you've all forgotten that, so you think you still are! Isn't that just rotten?" Monokuma cooed eagerly, "And… it's such a familiar plot device… Is this plagiarism?! It's not even original!"

"Y…You really can't do this!" Monomi told him, Monokuma looking annoyed before turning and punching her.

"I won't let you get away with this!" Monokuma growled.

"Gyaaaaaaaa! That's not what they mean by punch-line!" Monomi cried out as she was punched away roughly. Everyone was shocked into silence, all staring at them.

"Wha…What are you talking about?" Nagito finally spoke up.

"Hmm? Oh, did you enjoy the show? Or was my comedy too advanced for you all to understand?~" Monokuma teased.

"Forget that, what were you saying about our memories?" Byakuya demanded.

"Oh, the whole stealing your school memories part!~ Yup, comedy really does come from truth, doesn't it?"

"Um, Ibuki just started to go to Hope's Peak yesterday. Then she was taken here! So, that can't be right, right?" Ibuki chuckled.

"That's what you think because your memories after that point have been yoinked away from you by that despicable creature Monomi!" Monokuma replied.

"Don't call me such things! You're the despicable one!" Monomi argued.

"Th-That's impossible! How could you even do something like that?!" Hajime argued.

"I know, it seems impossible right? But Monomi did it all right. I wonder how your families are, with how many years it might have been already without you even knowing!~"

"Don't listen to him! He's a big liar!"

"Th-That's right, I can't believe that…I won't…I don't believe it." Teruteru stuttered out.

"I can prove it!~ The moment you stepped into the school, you all felt Dizzy, right?" Monokuma hummed, everyone looking shocked as they looked around at everyone to confirm the validity of the statement, "Well, that's when your memories were taken!"

"Th-That can't be…." Mikan stuttered anxiously.

"It is! But, since I'm such a generous guy, I could see it in my heart to give your memories to you!~"

"Wha-wha?!" Monomi exclaimed.

"On one condition of course…~"

"You don't mean…?" Kazuichi fretted.

"Of course! Kill kill kill! Kill one of your fellow classmates!"

"K-Kill?!" Mizuki exclaimed. Monokuma tilted his head.

"Oh yeah, you two don't know yet. I forgot to tell you the rules! How irresponsible…Well, here are your School Handbooks to start out! They're important of course, so don't lose them!" Monokuma hummed, handing them to Biyuki and Mizuki, "Now, you are trapped on this island until you kill a fellow classmate and get away with it! After a killing occurs, a body discovery announcement will go off when three people first discover the body! Then an investigation period will occur, and after that a class trial will be held! After you all have a discussion and think you've weeded out the blackened among you, you will vote for the person you think did it! If you're right, the blackened will receive punishment and the rest of you will go on living! If you're wrong…Everyone besides the blackened will be punished and the blackened will get back their memories and be allowed to leave this island!" Mizuki trembled, clutching the handbook.

"K-Killing each other…?" She muttered. Biyuki frowned, crossing her arms.

"…That's…insane…" Biyuki muttered.

"Maybe, but that's how it works!~" Monokuma told them, "Now, for that extra bonus prize I promised the rest of you, here is some information about your two newcomers! We'll start with Mizuki, and start off easy! Though she's the Ultimate Author, she was actually given the opportunity to become a different kind of Ultimate entirely based on another extreme skill of hers! Can you tell us what that talent is Mizuki?~" Mizuki was still trembling, Biyuki gritting her teeth.

"Hey, she's in no condition to answer your questions you messed up bear!" Biyuki growled.

"I-I'll be okay Biyuki…" Mizuki muttered, "I-It was Chemistry. I'm good at Chemistry."

"Ding ding ding! Corrrect! Mizuki was given the choice between being the Ultimate Author and the Ultimate Chemist!" Monokuma agreed, "This girl can balance a chemical reaction so quick it would make your head spin! But she decided to be the Ultimate Author instead. She has some other talents as well, though none of the rest of them are 'Ultimate' level, much like the rest of you obviously. Which brings me to the next portion of my info on Mizuki! Nicknames! Because of her talent with Chemistry and her other hobbies she has at least a moderate level of talent in, not everybody felt comfortable putting her in the box of 'Ultimate Author'. So, she garnered an Ultimate Nickname! People liked to call her the 'Ultimate Kindness' for her tendency to help out others and try to be a sickeningly sweet individual!"

"Ultimate Kindness?" Nagito questioned.

"Sounds more like Ultimate Pushover to me…" Fuyuhiko muttered.

"N-No one's called me that in my life!" Mizuki argued, "True, I like to help, b-but there's no way anyone would call me that!"

"Silly Mizuki, not remembering anything about that huh?~ Well, how about a nickname you DO remember, 'Virus'?" Monokuma taunted. Mizuki went pale as a ghost.

"H-How do you know about that?!"

"Doesn't really matter, I just do! I only have one more piece of info for just Mizuki. Don't go thinking she's some perfect, wonderful child. She actually reaaally sucks at some things. Specifically, History and P.E."

"W-Why am I the only one being put out in the open here?!" Mizuki demanded, not comfortable with how much someone else was sharing about her all at once.

"Oh, you're right! We should bring Biyuki into this too, shouldn't we? Let's see, Biyuki had some pretty terrible scores of her own, and in some really important subjects! Which were they? Let's just say you shouldn't come to her with any Math or Science questions…" Biyuki blushed and looked away, Mizuki gritting her teeth and clenching her fists.

"That's enough Monokuma!" She yelled.

"Oh? But I'm not done just yet! Biyuki has a nickname she wouldn't really remember too, based on a certain way of acting she has! She's our 'Ultimate Yandere!'" Everyone turned to look at Biyuki, stiffening.

"Ultimate...Yandere...?" Hajime questioned.

"You do know what a Yandere is don't you Hajime?~" Monokuma teased, "It's used to describe someone who is sweet on the outside, but is secretly a psychotic murderer for the one they love! Super possessive. And Biyuki is the perfect example!"

"Hey! She is not psychotic! She is sociopathic!" Mizuki chastised, "And she's not that possessive!"

"...But you're not denying she's a Yandere though, right?" Kazuichi questioned, Mizuki jumping.

"Well, um..."

"You don't have to answer that Mizuki..." Biyuki muttered then turning to them all and giving her first bright smile, "Yup! I'm a Yandere! Though, I don't know if you could call me the Ultimate Yandere...no one has before either. Probably cause I haven't actually killed anyone."

"You haven't?" Nagito questioned.

"Hey! That's a good thing! Don't be so relaxed!" Kazuichi called.

"Well, I've never had a reason to actually kill someone before...Don't have anyone that I'm worried about someone stealing. Not to say I've never hurt someone though!~"

"DON'T SAY THAT SO RELAXED!" Kazuichi freaked.

"Oh! That brings me to my last tidbit!" Monokuma chuckled, "Biyuki and Mizuki already know each other!"

 **'...We'd figured that out ourselves by now...but, actually hearing it...That they were the only two not strangers to each other, combined with their arrival together, made us all wary.'**

"So?" Mizuki questioned, "That's not a big deal. I've known Bi-kun since middle school!~"

"Like, how come you two know each other and the rest of us don't know each other?" Ibuki questioned.

"She just told you, we went to middle school together. Those who don't listen deserve to be confused." Biyuki huffed.

"Well, it is concerning of course, and puts you both at the top of the traitor list!" Monokuma accused. There was a flash.

 **'...Traitor...?'** Hajime thought.

"Oh, you didn't know? One of you is actually a lackey for Monomi!"

"Wh-What the fuck are you talking about? What do you mean a traitor?" Fuyuhiko huffed.

"He's clearly lying to us." Peko muttered, crossing her arms.

"Nope! This is a 100% truth! If you don't believe me though, you can just wait and see if the traitor kills you first!" Monokuma laughed, "After all, how can you know if there's a traitor or not…If no one knows one another?" No one spoke up, no one having anything to say…Hajime glanced around, and some people looked sad and silent…some looked upset and wanting to say something…others looked a little scared…then his eyes fell upon Mizuki, her jaw clenched, fists shaking, looking like she was fighting not to scream something at him that she might regret.

"That's right. Remember kiddos, there's always someone out there wanting to knock you down. You gotta knock them down first! It's either kill or be killed, your choice! Victim or Blackened!" Monokuma gave a wave then left in the blink of an eye. For a moment, everyone was silent, Monokuma's laughter ringing in their ears. Then, finally, someone spoke up.

"Um… Is one of us really a traitor…? I-It isn't me! I may look suspicious, but… I swear, it isn't me!" Mikan fretted.

"WHO IS IT?! TELL US RIGHT NOW! THE MORE YOU POSTPONE IT THE MORE YOU'LL REGRET IT!" Nekomaru yelled out.

"Don't scream dumb ass, it's not like it's hard to tell! Monokuma basically told us it was those two!" Fuyuhiko grumbled, pointing at Biyuki and Mizuki.

"Y-Yeah! He said they should be at the top of the list!" Kazuichi agreed.

"Would you kindly knock it off? There is probably no traitor among us…Why would there be? We shouldn't even have this silly discussion." Byakuya huffed, looking at them like they were idiots.

"H…He's right… I don't believe any of it…Why should I believe it? There's no evidence for any of it…" Teruteru agreed, combing his hair.

"…Oy, Monomi. You can probably answer our questions." Peko reasoned.

"…Hoeh?!" Monomi exclaimed, shocked.

"Are Monokuma's words the truth? Our memory loss… and the traitor…?"Peko inquired. Mizuki looked to Monomi, the desperation for confirmation of the lies he spouted.

"Um… You see…If you dwell too much on the past… you'll lose sight of the future… So…Fix your eyes only on the future! L…Let's all do our best to live on!" Monomi fretted before disappearing.

"Ah, she ran away!" Akane exclaimed.

"Feh. Worthless rabbit." Fuyuhiko muttered, crossing his arms, "Memory loss… traitors… that's straight out of fairy tales. Don't try to mess with me, retards!"And with that, Fuyuhiko stormed off. Mizuki looked after him sadly, watching as everyone else began to disperse, soon only her, Biyuki, Hajime, Nagito, around. Hajime looked to Mizuki, whose head was hung down, trembling slightly, then to Biyuki, who looked really mad and concerned for Mizuki at the same time, teeth gritted as she looked off after where everyone went. Hajime went over, holding out a hand and cautiously putting it on Mizuki's shoulder.

"Are you okay…?" Hajime wondered.

"I…I need to be alone." She muttered, walking off holding herself. Biyuki frowned as she watched her walk off.

"Those jerks…Making Mizuki so upset…" She growled, "I should break their legs!"

"H-Hold on! That's not a good solution!" Hajime worried.

"I know…That doesn't change that I should though." Biyuki huffed, walking off on her own as well. Hajime frowned, Nagito walking up.

"Well, you can't really blame them. A lot of personal business just got aired for the both of them, and then they were accused of being traitors…" Nagito muttered.

"Not to mention the fact the both of them only got here an hour or so ago and were told that in order to get off the island you have to kill someone, as well as the possibility that several years of their memories had been taken away." Chiaki agreed.

"I just hope they're okay…" Hajime sighed, before going to interact with the others.

It wasn't long before the Monokuma announcement sounded, no one having seen Mizuki or Biyuki for the rest of the day. However, it seemed two new cottages had appeared while they were all away, labeled for the two of them, so they had to guess that was where they were.

Hajime sat in his bed, worried about the two. While Biyuki had seemed standoffish at the beginning, he couldn't blame her too much for that considering their situation, appearing out of nowhere like that, and she did genuinely seem to care for Mizuki…And Mizuki…She had seemed so friendly and eager to talk with and meet everyone. And so distressed when she had learned the truth of the island, and when Monokuma had picked on them like that…Why was he being so mean to them? He was cruel to all of them obviously, but for some reason he seemed to really want to create a divide between them all and Biyuki and Mizuki…Could one of them really be a traitor…? Well, one thing was sure. If Monokuma wanted to separate them, he had to do his best to stop whatever Monokuma was trying!

But…All that could be done in the morning. For now, it would be best to go to bed.


	2. Chapter 2

**I hope you all are enjoying the story! Again, I love reviews and I hope to get a lot, please! Good or bad, Good ones make me smile and give me a reason to keep going, Bad help me improve as an author! Still don't own Danganronpa either!**

 **Chapter 2**

The next morning, when Hajime awoke, he decided to meet at the Restaurant as Byakuya had suggested the other day. No doubt the others would be there as well…Though, he wasn't sure if Mizuki or Biyuki would be there…They had gone back to their Cottages and wouldn't come out for anyone after all…But, he supposed he had to go and see what was going on anyways. He saw a few people on the way to the restaurant, but went up ultimately. When he got to the restaurant, there were already several people there, including Nekomaru, Teruteru, and Sonia. But… no one said a word. One by one everyone else entered, until…

"…Is everyone here?" Byakuya questioned.

"…Huh? I think Fuyuhiko is still missing…" Chiaki mentioned, "As well as Mizuki and Biyuki."

"Uh-oh! I guess they've already been killed…Or one of them's a killer!" Hiyoko chuckled.

"Gyaa?! Someone finally died?!" Ibuki exclaimed.

"You should not jump to conclusions like this… I just saw Fuyuhiko outside. He is not dead…However, he told me he is not coming to breakfast." Peko told them, "However, I do not think that Mizuki or Biyuki have left their cottages since Monokuma's stunt yesterday."

"Ugh, now's not the time for that lone-wolf act of his…" Mahiru muttered, "As for those other two, what do they think they're going to accomplish by holding themselves up like this?"

"M…Maybe… they're spendin' their time schemin' up ways to kill someone…" Kazuichi suggested.

"Kazuichi! To so readily suspect a friend is most uncouth!" Sonia scolded.

"But the guy's a gangster, ain' he? You understand what that word means, right?! Ja-pa-nese Ya-ku-za!" Kazuichi spelled out, "Not to mention that Biyuki chick and her yandere ways, telling us she's hurt people before but not killed anyone YET…Jeez…And besides all that, either one of those two could easily be a traitor!"

"That's unlikely at BEST." Byakuya muttered as he ate, "I suspect Fuyuhiko won't come even if we call him. That's just the kind of man he is…as for the other two, it's not like we can blame them too much not for coming. They had locked themselves away by the time I suggested the meeting, and after yesterday's incidents, I doubt they would come out for any of u-"

"E-Excuse me?"

Everyone turned to see Mizuki standing at the top of the stairs, looking really nervous.

"Ah, so you did come after all…" Byakuya muttered, "You have excellent timing."

"Oh, um, I was just kinda hoping everyone would be up for breakfast…" Mizuki muttered, rubbing the back of her neck and looking away. Hajime looked at her closely. It was obvious there was something she wanted to say, and she looked as though she was very tired, bags under her eyes. She finally seemed to take a deep breath and look at everyone, standing straight.

"I-I thought a lot last night, about everything Monokuma said…I still don't understand some of the things he was talking about, but…I know he was doing his best to paint me and Bi-kun in negative lights. Separate us from you even more than we already would have been…So, if it's alright…I'd like to revive my introduction, to tell you my side of the story." Mizuki told them sincerely. Some of them looked wary, but Byakuya nodded.

"It's not like we have anything to lose. Go on then." Byakuya muttered. Mizuki smiled and bowed.

"Thank you." She told him before going upright again, "My name is Mizuki Tenjo. You could also call me Mizu-kun if you like. As Monokuma said, I was in fact offered a choice on what to enroll under as my Ultimate talent…I enjoy chemistry, but…I love to write. It makes me happy. I'm not the best at speaking after all…I had to say up all night just to work out how I was going to put all this…but writing comes easy, words flow from my pen and fingers so much better than they ever flow from my lips without me thinking so much in advance…So, even though I was warned they were scouting another writing student for the next year, I didn't want to shy away from what I love. As for the Ultimate nickname…I really have no idea what he's talking about. I mean, I do love to help! Making people smile makes me happy! I don't think that's something to be ashamed of at all…"

"I really do suck at History, actually all of the Social Studies, and P.E. as well…But not just that. I really suck at names, dates, and places in general. I'll probably get lost a lot on this island and I already can't remember most of your names, even though you all seem to have them memorized already…But I want to try remembering, and knowing all of you! I also have asthma, poor knees, and a bad back…so obviously that's why P.E. wasn't my strong suit, especially compared with my clumsiness and issues with hand-eye coordination…And although I know Monokuma didn't mention it, I do want to let you know I have ADHD, so I'm sorry if I become suddenly distracted, or I forget what I'm talking about while I'm talking sometimes…" Mizuki smiled, "If you want to ask questions, I want to answer! I really want us all to get along here!"

"…You left something out." Nagito noticed.

"Huh? What?" Mizuki questioned, tilting her head.

"You know what it is, right Hajime?" Nagito stated, turning to him. Hajime jumped at the sudden passing of the baton, thinking about the things she didn't mention.

"Are you…Talking about the fact that she and Biyuki know each other?"

"Well, I guess that's true, but it's not what I'm talking about. I think that was covered well enough last night."

"Oh…Then…you must be talking about that other nickname, right?" Hajime started, Mizuki stiffening, "It was…Virus, right? You didn't object when Monokuma said it. You just reacted oddly to it…" Mizuki messed with her hair.

"…I…If you want me to explain it I will…But it isn't something I like to talk about…" Mizuki muttered.

"Who cares about that?! None of it proves you and Biyuki aren't traitors!" Kazuichi announced, Mizuki flinched and visibly wilted under the words.

"Wrong." Byakuya simply replied, crossing his arms, "In fact, now that I think about it, Monokuma gave us the top reason why neither could possibly be last night."

"What are you talking about?! Everything Monokuma said was to make us suspect them!" Mahiru huffed.

"Yes, that was his intent obviously. But he slipped up." Byakuya stated, "Think about it. How many traitors did he say there were?"

"…One." Hajime replied.

"And out of all of us, No one can say they know the other is for sure not a traitor, because no one knows each other, right?" Byakuya pointed out.

"Of course, now get to the point!" Kazuichi demanded.

"No…That's wrong…Biyuki and Mizuki know each other!" Hajime replied.

"Exactly. Very well apparently. So, if something was off with the other, they would immediately be able to tell. Honestly, they are the only one we can be sure AREN'T traitors, should you choose to believe one exists." Byakuya determined, "There's no need to torment them any further." Mizuki smiled wide as her suspicions were cleared.

"Hmm…I guess you're right…Jeez, I'm sorry about that Mizuki…" Kazuichi muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

"That's alright!~ I totally forgive you!~" Mizuki hummed, giving a big hug out of nowhere that nearly knocked Kazuichi over.

"H-Hey!"

"Good morning Mizu-kun. Glad you're in good spirits today." They heard, turning slightly to see Biyuki, who smiled directly at Mizuki, then turned and gave each of them a look that could kill, frightening a good handful of the other students, "Do you have anything I could read this morning?~" Mizuki smiled, detaching from Kazuichi.

"Sorry Bi-kun, I was up all night working out what I would say to everyone this morning!" Mizuki chirped. Biyuki frowned, glaring at them all once more, then turning back to Mizuki.

"You shouldn't have done that…You're gonna be tired…" Biyuki muttered.

"But I wanted to make sure I could get along with everyone! You should tell them your side of what Monokuma said too!" Mizuki insisted. Biyuki looked back at them one last time, her face turning deadly once more.

"…I don't have anything to say to them. They can think whatever they want." Biyuki muttered, going to sit at another table before Mizuki caught her by her shoulder.

"Bi-kun, don't stay mad…They're sorry for being so mean yesterday, and they don't think we're traitors anymore! In fact, that guy said that we were the only ones who 100% could not be traitors! So, let's just forgive them and-"

"I'M NOT GOING TO FORGIVE THEM MIZUKI." Biyuki said forcefully, making Mizuki's eyes widen and her step back, Biyuki sighing and taking a breath to calm herself, "…They made you cry, and lose valuable sleep over things you couldn't control. I won't forgive it…I can't forgive it." She gave another glare to the rest of them, and this time probably twice the people withered from it, not from fear, but from guilt.

"…But I'm fine now, aren't I?" Mizuki replied simply, "And…Biyuki…I don't want you to keep fighting with everyone…I want us to all work together. It doesn't matter if I felt bad for a while. Focusing on something that insignificant in a situation like this is simply ridiculous and you know it…Bi-kun…I want you to forgive them, and tell them your side of the story!" Biyuki softened slightly at Mizuki's words, looking to them before sighing.

"…I won't hurt them if that's what you're worried about, you're too worked up over all of this…and…I guess I can forgive them…after breakfast…but as for telling my side of the story, I refuse to dignify that stupid bear's antics with a response." Biyuki muttered, crossing her arms. Mizuki was quiet for a moment then turned.

"If you won't tell them, then I will!" Mizuki stated, Biyuki's eyes going wide as she reached out.

"Wait, n-!"

"Biyuki is an amazing artist! I can't even draw close to what she can! And she's super nice once you really get to know her, she draws things for me when I ask so I can have a good reference for my stories! I've never heard anyone call her the Ultimate Yandere, but she is a yandere. She usually only really gets that way over me though, and maybe a few of our other old friends. But it's not so bad because she knows I would never ever ever abandon Bi-kun! So she's not as worried about people stealing me away as she is people hurting me or my feelings. She can really overreact sometimes, but I know it's just cause she really cares about me, and it hurts her to see me upset! I feel the same way when she's upset too…Though I don't go for the aggressive approach she uses. Bi-kun isn't very good at Math and Science stuff, it's true, but that's totally okay cause I'm super good at it and I can help her out! And she's super good at History stuff so she can help me out! Cause that's what best friends do! They help each other! I know Biyuki can be kinda standoffish, and she doesn't really like to talk to people, but she's the best friend I've ever had and trust me she's super awesome! And-and-and…" Mizuki seemed to be searching for other things to say, Biyuki standing shocked in the background, "And Bi-kun doesn't like to be touched by anyone but me so please avoid physical contact! I'm sure that secretly, she really wants to be friends with all of you just as much as I do!"

"Mizu-kun…" Biyuki muttered, blushing slightly before she huffed and looked away, crossing her arms, "…Fine, I forgive them…" Mizuki smiled brightly.

"Cause I did such an awesome job?~"

"No, because you're such a nerd~" Biyuki teased, poking Mizuki's nose, "And if I don't you're not gonna stop…"

"Bi-kuuuuuuuun!" Mizuki pouted as Biyuki laughed, the others watching in confusion and such the interaction, before a laugh rang out, everyone, including Mizuki and Biyuki turning confused towards Nagito as he laughed happily.

"…What's so funny?" Biyuki wondered, crossing her arms with a frown. Nagito smiled, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.

"I'm sorry…You just both look so happy together, and the way you act reminds me a lot of two sisters…It's just nice." Nagito explained with a smile, everyone else smiling slightly as well, some people even chuckling as Mizuki rubbed the back of her neck with a big smile.

"What the fuck's everyone laughing at?" Fuyuhiko muttered as he came in, everyone turning to them.

"Fuyuhiko? I thought you weren't coming to the breakfast meeting?" Hajime questioned.

"I'm not, I was waiting for you all to leave so I could get something to eat, but you've been in here for fucking ever and I'm not waiting for you bastards to get out anymore." Fuyuhiko huffed, walking over to a table.

"Well aren't you a ray of goddamn sunshine in the morning…" Mahiru muttered, Fuyuhiko turning.

"The fuck did you just say?!" He demanded. Mizuki-sensing another tense situation so soon after they'd gotten out of the last one-ran over, getting in the middle of them.

"L-Let's calm down, no reason to f-"

"Don't tell me what to do you fucking happy-go-lucky bitch!" Fuyuhiko growled, grabbing her arm and going to push her out of the way to get to Mahiru, Mizuki gasping as she was shoved before Biyuki reacted, pulling a large knife out of her boot and going to stab at Fuyuhiko, Mizuki just barely regaining her footing in time to grab her wrist and shout:

"NO!" As she redirected the strike into the wall, Biyuki sinking her knife deep into it, Fuyuhiko stepping back and looking at the two of them wide eyed as Biyuki struggled to try and pull the knife out, Mizuki struggling to stop her.

"What the hell…?"

"MIZUKI I SWEAR TO GOD GET OUT OF MY WAY I'M GONNA CUT THIS LITTLE B-WORD!"

"BI-KUN NO I'M OKAY, HE JUST SHOVED ME A LITTLE!"

"HE CALLED YOU A B-WORD AND SHOVED YOU I'M GONNA DICE HIM UP!"

"BI-KUN NO I'M FINE!"

"Someone, help hold her back!" Byakuya demanded, others rushing to help but Mizuki trying to keep them off.

"NO DON'T YOU REMEMBER WHAT I SAID EARLIER DON'T TOUCH HER IT'LL ONLY MAKE IT WORSE!"

"Then what are we supposed to do?!"

"LET ME HANDLE IT OKAY!"

"HANDLE IT SHMANDLE IT I'M GONNA BLEED HIM DRY AND THEN PAINT A PICTURE WITH THE BLOOD!"

Peko frowned and went to go for her own sword, ready to defend Fuyuhiko if it seemed Mizuki couldn't handle it. Biyuki finally drew her knife out and went to get Fuyuhiko, Peko drawing her weapon but it seemed unnecessary as Mizuki stood resolute out in front of him, arms out wide as she fixed Biyuki with a serious look, Biyuki pausing.

"Biyuki, Stop this right now! You aren't gonna hurt him unless you want to hurt me first! Do you want to hurt me?!" Mizuki demanded.

"…No…I don't want to hurt you…"

"Then put that knife back where it belongs!" Biyuki sighed and put the knife back, turning to glare at a still shocked Fuyuhiko for a moment.

"You're lucky she was here to stop me, don't make the same mistake again." She warned before storming out angrily. Mizuki sighed, shoulders drooping as she let her arms flop down.

"…And we were having such a lovely time too…" Mizuki huffed, holding her elbows for a moment before giving a smile, "Well, least I know she'll be back soon!~"

"…How do you know that?" Hajime questioned.

"Cause, she never got any breakfast. And there's waffles and tons of butter here, she's not gonna pass that up for long." Mizuki chuckled, then turning to Fuyuhiko, looking concerned, "You okay? She didn't nick ya did she? You weren't here when I explained, but Bi-kun gets really protective over me…If you're gonna do something like that, I would make sure she doesn't find out…"

"What the fuck are you talking about?! Is no one concerned with the fact she just tried to kill me?!" Fuyuhiko growled.

"It is…rather concerning…But I don't think it should be much of an issue if no one hurts Mizuki and I confiscate the knife." Byakuya muttered, Mizuki's eyes going wide.

"No no no! You can't do that!" Miyuki told him, "Bi-kun's knife is very special to her! She gets all weird without it…"

"Mizuki I swore that I would not allow anyone on this Island become a victim, and your friend-whether with protective intentions or not-just tried to stab Fuyuhiko. I cannot allow for her to perform such reckless actions again!"

"…I understand…Even though I don't think it's a good idea…" Mizuki muttered, rubbing her arm, then turning to Fuyuhiko, "Hey, you're okay right? Her knife didn't get you did it? I did my best to make sure she didn't, but I was pretty off balance when I grabbed her arm…" Fuyuhiko scoffed, crossing his arms.

"Don't worry about it, it's not the first time someone's come at me with a knife and I doubt it will be the last." Fuyuhiko replied, "Just keep her the fuck away from me, and stay out of my way!" Fuyuhiko went to grab some breakfast from the table then.

"Anyways, I might as well discuss that which I was wanting to now. If we wait for Biyuki to come back, Fuyuhiko might already be gone, so either way we'll have a person missing…Mizuki can tell her about what we decided later."

"Discuss…? What are we going to discuss?" Hajime questioned. Byakuya smiled, crossing his arms.

"You will be happy to hear I have decided to throw a party this evening." The room was dead silent for a moment, everyone blinking in confusion.

"A…A…A party?" Mikan stuttered out.

"That's right. A grand all-night party, all the way through the morning." Byakuya pronounced.

"An all-night course?!" Ibuki exclaimed.

"I should warn you - absence is prohibited. This is a party with compulsory attendance." Byakuya stated with authority.

"Why would we be having a fucking party for now?!" Fuyuhiko huffed.

"Ye-yeah… What're we having a party for, at a time like this…?!" Kazuichi agreed confused.

"This is the perfect time for a party." Byakuya defended.

"Are you sure…? I don't see it… Is this really the time for a party? Or the place?" Mahiru questioned.

"…Um, well…I think I'm in favor… I mean, we're all naturally down right now…with what Monokuma said, and now the events of this morning…So, I think this is the perfect time to have an event where we can get to know each other better and deepen our friendship! Was that what you were thinking, Togami-kun? Is that why you suggested a party?" Nagito asked cheerfully.

"…My reasons do not matter…In any case… It is necessary that we all be gathered at a single location tonight."

"…Those words bear the stench of concealed purpose… do they not?" Gundham pointed out.

"This is already a done deal. We are having a party tonight!" Byakuya insisted.

"B…But… Why does it have to be all night…?" Mikan inquired.

"…If it didn't, I wouldn't have made it that way."

"I…I'm sorry! I'm sorry for being so pushy!"

"Knowing when to switch oneself off and on is a key skill in life… And we could all use a distraction." Nekomaru agreed.

"Yeah, an all-night party sounds like sooo much fun!~ I can get to know you guys better and I never really get invited to these types of things, so I'm super happy to be included!" Mizuki cheerfully announced.

"…Let's do it!" Akane cheered.

"Ah, if we are, indeed, doing this, how about you let me handle the food?" Teruteru told them.

"Oh, can I help?!" Mizuki asked, bouncing eagerly. Teruteru looked slightly shocked.

"You want to…Help…?"

"Yeah! I love to cook!"

"…Was this one of the so called other 'talents' that weren't quite Ultimate level that Monokuma was talking about?" Teruteru inquired.

"Heh, well I don't know if it's really a talent…I just love to cook for others, and myself too since I love to eat!~ I'm pretty good with a recipe and a good amount of herbs and such, but probably nothing compared to you…I wanna help though, I swear I won't get in the way!" Mizuki promised.

"I don't know…What if your-ahem-friend comes in…?"

"Oh no, I would shove her right back out!"

"What, some kinda half-assed punishment for trying to stab me?" Fuyuhiko muttered, rolling his eyes.

"No, I would never punish Bi-kun for something like that, especially since she didn't actually get you. That's just her nature after all, it can't be helped. I wouldn't want her to change who she is just for me…" Mizuki muttered, "I would shove her out of any kitchen regardless of the amount of violence she's committed."

"…And why, may I ask, is that?" Byakuya inquired.

"Bi-kun is dangerous in the kitchen, she's the worst cook ever! She once set a kitchen on fire just from boiling Mac and Cheese…" Mizuki explained, then turning back to Teruteru, "Please! I won't stay during the party, when that starts I'll go out with everyone else, but I could help you prepare everything and cook beforehand! Chef's need Sous-Chefs and cooks to tell what to do, right? I could be like that! I can help you with whatever you need!"

"Whatever I need you say?~" Teruteru purred.

"Don't go saying stuff like that!" Nagito warned nervously.

"Alright, you can help!" Teruteru announced.

"Yay!~" Mizuki cheered happily, giving him a big hug which Teruteru did NOT shy away from.

"Anyways…Where are we going to have it? Is this restaurant good enough?" Chiaki wondered, trying to change the subject.

"No… This place is no good… We want a place that isn't so accessible from outside…Somewhere we can keep Monokuma out of. A closed space." Byakuya muttered.

"…Closed space?" Chiaki questioned.

"If the restaurant will not suffice then neither will the lobby. It, too, is… open." Gundham commented.

"Nor can we use someone's cottage, then… This many of us would get cramped together in that small a space…" Sonia thought out.

"Cramped together, eh? I guess a cottage it is! Ah, I sure am lucky…This is so much easier than dressing up as a woman and sneaking into the women-only car on the train…~" Teruteru hummed.

"You are really somethin' else…saying something like that out loud…'There anything you don't see as an opportunity for perversion?" Kazuichi inquired.

"Hoh hoh… I may be a pervert, but I'm the lovable type of pervert that people just can't bring themselves to hate!~" Teruteru replied with a smirk.

"Yeah, your belief in yourself is just charming…" Kazuichi sighed.

"How about we use the old lodge that's off to the side of the hotel grounds?" Nagito suggested.

"…That shabby lodge?" Chiaki questioned.

"Well, if we clean it properly, I think we can get it in good condition. It certainly fits the closed space requirement. I'd even say it's the only place that does." Nagito mentioned.

"But, didn't Monomi forbid us to enter that lodge? She said something about a planned reconstruction." Peko muttered, holding her chin.

"I heard your entire conversation! I heard it with my own ears! Heh heh! I am very proud of my ears! I'm a rabbit, you know!" Monomi boasted, as everyone looked to where she had suddenly appeared, starting to get used to it.

"I see. So you have to depend on your ears. That is most certainly strange." Byakuya commented.

"Hoeh?!" Monomi exclaimed.

"I mean, what are those surveillance cameras for? Are they for Monokuma's exclusive use?" Byakuya questioned. Monomi was silent, head hanging as her exuberance seemed to be depleted.

"Ah! She seems to have gotten depressed!" Ibuki commented.

"Whatever… It seems our problem is solved, one way or another." Byakuya sighed, "The old lodge… You came here to tell us about it, didn't you?!"

"Yep! If it means strengthening the bonds of your friendship, I will gladly lend you my assistance! And so, I hereby grant you permission to use the old lodge! I'm going to help too, so let's enjoy a fun party together!" Monomi cheered.

"Oh, that's impossible! I mean, you're so lame!" Hiyoko snickered, "You should probably stay away from mirrors. You might actually die if you saw what you look like right now." Mizuki shrugged.

"I dunno, I think she looks pretty cute…in a Frankenstein-y kinda way." Mizuki commented, Monomi drooping again.

"Such warm words of kindness… I think I'm gonna… cry…" Monomi muttered before disappearing again.

"Um… So, are we settled on the old lodge?" Mahiru inquired, "If so, what are we going to do about the preparations? That building's been abandoned - we'll probably need to clean it up…"

"This will be the first time I busy myself with hands-on activities such as cleaning! This is hella exciting!" Sonia excitedly chirped.

"No, no, no! A princess shouldn't get her hands dirty!" Kazuichi asserted.

"That's not fair, if she wants to clean it shouldn't matter what her status is!" Mizuki shot back.

"I don't wanna clean!" Hiyoko huffed.

"What's that? We have no volunteers?" Nekomaru commented.

"In that case, how about we draw lots?" Nagito suggested, "Actually, I, ah… I thought something like that might happen, so I prepared some in advance!" Hajime was quizzical as to why he would have forseen this or why he would have made up lots, but didn't have time to question.

"How about… cleaning duty goes to the person who pulls the chopstick with the red mark on it? That's fair, isn't it?" Nagito wondered.

"Um, me and Teruteru don't have to draw, right? Cause we're gonna be doing a lot of cooking and stuff and doing that AND cleaning that place just doesn't seem possible…" Mizuki commented.

"I'm not drawing either, I don't want to come to your dumbass party, and I won't." Fuyuhiko huffed, finished eating and getting up to leave, walking down the stairs.

"Wha-?! He just said attendance is mandatory!" Akane huffed.

"I suppose it can't be helped really…It wouldn't mean anything if we just dragged him off by force…" Byakuya sighed, "So long as everyone else shows up we should be alright."

"Anyways, let's do this lot thing, huh? Might as well get it over with…" Akane stated.

"It is decided! Let us entrust our fate… to fate itself!" Gundham exclaimed.

"Whatever the result is, no hard feelings, right?" Mahiru stated with a smile. And with that, everyone present except for Teruteru and Mizuki took turns pulling chopsticks from Nagito's hand. Then, finally, the result was revealed…

"Huh? It's me?!" Nagito commented, shocked.

"Ha ha… So much for 'Ultimate Lucky Student'…" Hajime teased.

"Nah… we have to play the cards we're dealt…So, leave the cleaning to me. I'm pretty good at it, actually!" Nagito cheerfully stated.

"Ah, I thought you would be. From the moment I first saw you, I thought you'd make a great househusband." Mahiru agreed, nodding.

"…I'll… take that as a compliment." Nagito chuckled out nervously.

"And remember, leave the cooking to me and Mizuki! Right! First, we have to procure the ingredients, and then start preparing the meal at the old lodge…I'll show you the fabulousness that is Teruteru Hanamura! I'm going to prepare the world's tastiest party feast for you tonight!" Teruteru announced.

"And I get to help!~" Mizuki chirped happily, just feeling giddy to be considered and included, "I should probably go and inform Bi-kun about the party first!~ I'll meet up with you at the market!"

"Let us disperse for now. We will gather at the old lodge after Monokuma's evening announcement." Byakuya agreed, everyone slowly starting to leave as they finished eating, Mizuki and Teruteru being the first to go. When Hajime got back to his cottage, he realized he had some free time. It might be nice to go interact with some of the others…He thought about it and-even though he was more than a little scared-it would be good to try and talk to Biyuki a little…He'd rather be on her good side than her bad for one thing, and she hadn't left the restaurant in the happiest mood. He went over and knocked on her cottage door.

"Come in!" She called, Hajime opening the door and coming in to see her sprawled on her bed, drawing something in a sketchbook with numerous amounts of art materials scattered about her. She looked up and then looked to her drawing, finishing up one last thing before laying the Sketchbook down and standing and walking over.

"Hajime…What do you want?" Biyuki wondered.

"Well, I wanted to see if…You're…"

"Okay?" Biyuki wondered, raising an eyebrow, "Or coming to the party?"

"Well, both, I guess…"

"Yeah, I'm going, and I'm pretty much okay…Mizuki was right, stabbing him wouldn't have been a good idea…" Biyuki sighed.

"Oh? Why do you say that? I mean, aside from obvious reasons…"

"Well, if I killed him right there you all would have seen it first of all, so the class trial wouldn't exactly take long would it? Plus…I've come to terms with the fact I won't be able to kill anyone while I'm here. Only injure at best…"

"…Why do you say that…? Not that I want you to murder anyone, but I don't really want you to injure anyone either…"

"It's simple: If I kill someone and get caught, I die and the rest of you live. Mizuki would have a fit…She might even try to attack that thing and get hurt, or try to vote it not me just to try and not kill me…And if I don't get caught, everyone else dies…Including Mizuki…" Biyuki muttered, giving a sigh, "So, killing anyone is out of the question…Not with the way this bear's rules work…I won't put Mizuki in danger."

"I see…You two have a very deep bond, don't you?" Hajime commented. Biyuki nodded.

"Of course! Mizuki's my best friend in the world! …I know Monokuma was probably lying with those nicknames and the memories thing, but I definitely think Mizuki deserves the title of Ultimate Kindness. She's such a selfless person…one of the most generous people I know…She cares a lot about everyone, even if someone gets on her bad side, if they really need help, she wouldn't refuse…If there's anything she can do to help someone, she'll do it…"

' **Bad side? Mizuki has one?'** Hajime couldn't help but think as he listened to her.

"That sounds like she's a really good friend." Hajime replied.

"Not just a good friend, she's a really good person…But the bad thing is there's such a thing as too kind…People tend to take advantage of her without her even noticing it…I watch her be kind and generous and get snubbed and insulted in return a lot…That's why I started to make sure people who do those things would stop~" Biyuki smiled, "Mizuki doesn't deserve the way others treat her when she treats people so well…So, when Mizuki wants to ignore something because 'responding to hate with more hate doesn't solve anything' or 'it was just a little push' or 'It's better to just ignore it and not cause trouble, it's not that big of a deal after all…' I avenge her."

"But…Mizuki doesn't want that!"

"I know…She's just too kind to want me to do that…But that doesn't change the fact that she deserves it." Biyuki replied, resolute.

' **I don't feel like I'm going to change her mind…'** Hajime thought to himself, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair, then considered giving her a gift, Thinking about what he had before handing over some Cinnamon Tea. Biyuki blinked then smiled, taking the tea.

"Thank you." She told him, sipping it gently, "Tea is my favorite besides Soda…"

"Anyways, I guess I'll see you tonight." Hajime told her, Biyuki nodding.

"See you." She agreed. And with that, Hajime left to talk to some of the others.

It wasn't long before the Monokuma Announcement went off, telling them to all have 'pleasant dreams'.

"I guess it's time to go to the old lodge…" Hajime walked to the lodge, greeting a few people on the way before walking in and seeing Byakuya standing there. Byakuya looked to him as he walked in.

"You came…Well, then, hold out your arms and stand facing me." Byakuya instructed.

"Hold out my arms…? Why should I do that?" Hajime questioned, raising a brow.

"I have to do a body check, of course."

"A b…body check?!"

"As long as I am hosting this party, you should expect flawless security." Byakuya crossed his arms, "I made you a promise, didn't I? I shall not accept even a single victim…!"

"Y…Yeah, got it…" Hajime reluctantly agreed. He held out his arms and stood facing forward as Byakuya thoroughly checked his body.

"…It seems you are not carrying any dangerous items."

"O…Of course I'm not!"

"…Very well. You may step inside." Hajime was about to do as Byakuya suggested, when he noticed an odd item next to Byakuya's feet. They looked like…

"…Duralumin cases?"

"I found them at the supermarket." Byakuya responded, "I am using one of them to safely store any dangerous items I find. The other one…Well… it's in case there's trouble."

"…Trouble?"

"…It shouldn't worry you. The others are already gathered inside, in the main hall. Go join them." Byakuya ordered before turning his back to him.

' **I know I was told to go straight to the main hall, but as long as I'm here, let's see what else is around.'** Hajime thought as he decided to explore really quickly. He found an office, but that seemed rather boring…He saw the bathroom, unisex, but that didn't really interest him either…He smelled something delicious and looked into the kitchen to see Teruteru immediately greet him.

"And what might you be doing here in my castle? Don't worry, dinner is right on schedule." Teruteru assured him, "Or maybe… you also want to be cooked by me?~"

"Huh? What the hell does that mean?" Hajime wondered, "Is Mizuki still here?"

"Oh, that delicate flower?~ No, no, as she said she went to the main hall after the party was to start~ She really was quite the help today though, I have to admit she was very good at listening to instructions! Flitting about the kitchen this way and that as I instructed, I was able to make so much more delicious dishes thanks to her assistance~" Teruteru smirked, "Not to mention the lovely sight I was treated to!~"

"…Huh?"

"Mizuki became much too warm wearing that hoodie in this steaming kitchen, so she took it off~ And underneath, her t-shirt seemed rather…Tight~ She noticed me looking and then apologized~"

"…Apologized?"

"For not wearing a bra~" Teruteru's nose was bleeding by now, "She told me she usually doesn't, but usually she wears baggy dark t-shirts instead of the tight lighter purple one she was wearing~ I got to watch her bounce all around the kitchen~ And she didn't even mind that I was watching them!~ Truly, she is a kindred spirit~ She brought the flames of my passion up to the greatest, so you can be sure this meal will be one full of passion!"

'… **I'm having second thoughts about eating the food…'** Hajime thought.

"At any rate, you should head along to the Main hall, I have more food to bring in~" Teruteru told him. Hajime nodded, going to leave. He noticed a supply closet offhandedly, but didn't think it was really worth looking in, deciding just to go on to the main hall. The place was still kind of a wreck, but Nagito had obviously put some work into it, lights strung up and tables out with cloth over them…carpet laid out, some decorations…Nagito smiled when he saw him come in.

"Oh, Hajime! So, what do you think?" Nagito asked.

"What do I think about what?"

"About the way I decorated this hall for the party, of course! I even spread out a carpet."

"…You brought in this carpet?"

"Yeah, I got it at the supermarket…I wanted to cover the entire floor, but the carpet wasn't large enough…This entire place was full of dust and cobwebs when I got here this morning, you know? It took me the entire day just to clean this hall."

"That's quite a feat, Nagito…"

"…Yeah. Thank you." Nagito told him, then turning back to the others. Hajime considered going to talk to Akane, but she seemed pretty focused on the food that was set out, drooling wildly, deciding to go talk to Mahiru first.

"I hate to say this after Nagito did his best to clean the place, but true to its name, this old lodge is in tatters. There's a limit to how much you can clean a place up…Look at the floor over here, for example." Mahiru pointed out, looking over to the bits of wood on the edge as Hajime followed her gaze. "See how the wood is rotten and has shrunk down? There are so many gaps it's dangerous to walk on, don't you think?"

"It sure is…" Hajime agreed, frowning slightly.

"Well, I guess since most of the floor is covered with a carpet, it's not really a problem…Maybe we should warn Mikan-chan to be extra careful, though." Mahiru nervously thought.

"She is the type of person who falls down even when there's nothing there…" Hajime agreed.

"Byakuya said something about a body check and touched me all over! That's sexual harassment!" Hiyoko whined, causing Hajime to look over.

"I…I don't think so… He did the same thing to the guys." Hajime commented.

"Did he? I get the feeling he was extra sticky when he did me."

"Eh…?"

"Kyahaha! There's a big demand for someone who looks like me, you know."

"You're… joking, right?" Hiyoko smirked and shrugged, but before Hajime could question any further, he was surprised by an attack hug from the back.

"Hajime!~" Mizuki chirped happily, Hajime stumbling and looking at her.

"What the-?! Mizuki?!" He replied startled.

"Yup!~ I'm just so super extra happy that everyone's having so much fun!~ I can't wait until everyone's here!~" Mizuki eagerly chittered, finally letting go of Hajime as she bounced up and down in excitement. Hajime chuckled as he watched her, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You sure are excited…"

"Of course I am!~ I told you all didn't I? I don't usually get invited to parties…So…It means a lot to me that Byakuya is throwing one for everyone here!" Mizuki replied with a bright, warm smile, "And I got to help!~ Teruteru is amazing at cooking, and plus, since I was helping, I got to taste some while we were cooking~ It was soooo nummy!~" Hajime chuckled nervously at Teruteru's name being mentioned, the conversation in the Restaurant still fresh in his mind, trying to think of a way to change the subject before he noticed a gloomy looking Biyuki sitting at a table.

"…Biyuki? Is something wrong?" He wondered. Biyuki sighed.

"Stupid Byakuya took my favorite knife…He says he's not gonna give it back either...It's my favorite!" Biyuki whined, "Not to mention feeling me all up and down like that to make sure I didn't have anything else…I hate being touched!" Biyuki buried her head into her arms as Mizuki patted her back gently, Hajime rubbing his neck.

' **Well you did try to stab someone earlier…'** Hajime thought.

"Well, he searched everyone and took away Kazuichi's Wrench too from what I heard…He's just being cautious." Hajime comforted.

"I know…I wouldn't have let him have it if it weren't for a good reason…doesn't change the fact that I miss it…" Biyuki sighed.

"It's okay Biyuki, I'm sure if you're really good and show you aren't gonna stab anyone again, he'll give it back to you!"

"You and I both know I can't make that promise…" Hajime decided to leave Mizuki to console her for now, looking around the room and noticing something very odd for the first time.

"…Steel plates?" Hajime muttered thoughtfully, looking at the large steel plates on the wall, "Now that I think about it… there were some in the corridor as well…But, why are there steel plates attached to the wall?"

"…A valiant effort… but short of the mark." Gundham remarked.

"…Eh?"

"'Star-destroyer Grey Fox' Sun-D of the Four Dark Gods of Destructions has seen beyond the veil of the apparent…! Those steel plates are not attached to the wall. They are attached to the windows." Gundham informed him.

"…To the windows?"

"Think, unobservant one. Was there a single open window in the corridor? Or were they all covered by steel plates?"

"But… why? Why cover the windows at all?"

"…O, Sun-D… Your fur is most certainly abuzz today…" Gundham stated, messing with one of his hamsters.

"Hey, I asked if you know why the windows are covered…?"

"…It has been… a long day. Countless souls born, and countless more lost…" Hajime gave up asking Gundham, figuring he had no idea either…But…The place was under construction, correct? It might be because of that…

More people started to file in, one by one, all except for Fuyuhiko who-true to his word-decided not to come. Byakuya finally walked into the hall, talking to everyone with a loud voice.

"…Sorry to have kept you waiting." Byakuya apologized, "Teruteru is in the kitchen… And it seems Fuyuhiko is not coming after all, as he informed us."

"Aww…That's sad…He must be lonely all by himself…" Mizuki muttered, looking way with a small frown. Biyuki crossed her arms and huffed.

"Good riddance I say…"

"Don't be so mean Bi-kun."

"I am sorry. I attempted to get him to reconsider, but…It seemed he was unwilling to change his mind." Peko apologized.

"You don't have anything to apologize for, Peko-chan. It's his fault if he's not coming…" Mahiru huffed, crossing her arms annoyed at Fuyuhiko's behavior.

"This party should've been compulsory participation, but…Whatever. If only one person is missing, it isn't a problem…Nothing is going to happen to a single person, after all." Byakuya muttered.

"…That sounds ominous, does it not?" Peko commented.

"More importantly– Hm?" Byakuya had started to say something, but had been distracted by something on the food table, suddenly seeming quite angry, "Oy, what is this?!" He hurried over to a large portion of skewered meat, "…This is dangerous!" He then proceeded to pick up two of the skewers and start to devour all the meat on them.

"H…Hey! What are you doing?!" Hajime exclaimed.

"That's so unfair! He's eating the food all by himself!" Akane accused.

"I am not eating it…!" Byakuya defended.

"Likely story ya pudgy-handsy-knife taker!" Biyuki huffed at him.

"However you look at it, this is eating!" Mahiru countered.

"I am telling you, that is not what I'm doing…! Take a good look at this food." Byakuya instructed.

"It looks like delicious grilled meat…" Nekomaru replied.

"…And what is this delicious grilled meat attached to?" Byakuya questioned.

"…Hm? They're steel skewers." Peko answered.

"That's right. These steel skewers are exceedingly dangerous. And therefore… as the person in charge I must confiscate them!" Byakuya told them.

"…Then why not take the meat off and back on the plate then lock the skewers up?" Mizuki suggested. Byakuya froze as this suddenly occurred to him, finishing the last two bites of the skewers he was already on before doing as Mizuki suggested with the other two, keeping his look of superiority on his face as he did so, though Hajime could guess he was internally thoroughly embarrassed.

"Ah, it seems everyone is here! In that case, let me bring in the main… um…" Teruteru started before he noticed Byakuya's chewing and the taking of the skewers, "Hey! You started eating already?"

"Who made this food?" Byakuya countered with instead.

"Um…Mizuki and I…did… Um, are you from the Gourmet Club?" Teruteru questioned.

"What were you thinking? How could you use such a dangerous implement in your food…?" Byakuya scolded the two, Mizuki and Teruteru looking shocked at the accusation.

"D…Dangerous…? This is Churrasco, a legendary South American skewered meat dish…See, it fits the tropical mood, so I thought it would be just right for our party." Teruteru replied.

"…The problem is the skewers, not the food."

"I still don't get what's so dangerous about them! So long as you eat from the side like you're supposed to and you did, the pointy side can't hurt you!" Mizuki huffed.

"…It's just a precaution, as skewers can tear through meat, should an…accident occur they could easily wound somebody." Byakuya explained, adjusting his glasses as he locked the four skewers up in the duralumin case.

"Eh?! So I can't even use skewers?!" Teruteru exclaimed.

"From this reaction, I am guessing there are other dangerous items you know about…" Byakuya sighed, turning and seeing Hajime, motioning for him to follow, "Oy, Hinata. Come with me. We have work to do."

"…W…Why me?!" Hajime wondered.

"Heh… You were the first person he laid eyes on. Bad luck, mate…" Kazuichi chuckled. Hajime sighed, but followed Byakuya to the kitchen anyways.

"Come on. We're going to thoroughly search the kitchen for any other dangerous items." Byakuya instructed as he went into the kitchen. Byakuya started to carefully go through the kitchen's shelves as soon as he entered. "Take a look… I found something already. This shelf has forks and knives on it."

"…Don't tell me. Even cutlery isn't allowed?" Hajime questioned.

"They're sharp and pointy, and therefore dangerous. Disposable chopsticks should be enough for eating." Byakuya replied with crossed arms as he stuffed every fork and knife into the Duralumin case. Mizuki-who had seemingly followed without them noticing and was peaking in-frowned.

"Yeah, because fork and table knives are the most dangerous weapons on earth, right?" Mizuki muttered, crossing her arms. Byakuya flashed her a look and she turned bright red and decided to take her leave, skootching out slowly with a wide nervous smile on her face, hurrying back to the hall before Byakuya could chew her out. Hajime deciding to defuse Byakuya with conversation before he considered going after her.

"Hey, is this really necessary?" Hajime wondered. Byakuya huffed slightly and continued with what he was doing.

"…Of course it's necessary. If it weren't, we wouldn't be here. I made a promise - there will be not a single victim. To fulfil that promise, the utmost caution is necessary…" Byakuya responded sincerely.

"Is that… it?" Hajime questioned.

"…What do you mean, 'is that it'?" Byakuya countered, raising a brow. Hajime turned slightly, a bit nervous that the wrong words could send Byakuya off the handle.

"Well, I just thought… maybe something happened…? I mean, you suddenly suggested we have a party. I can't help but think there's a reason for that…"

"There isn't… It's just that… For a long time now, suspecting everything and everyone has been second nature to me."

"Suspecting…? Why?"

"…Hrmph. I don't particularly like to discuss my past, but…Fine. I shall tell you just a little." Byakuya relented, "There are things in my past I can't tell anyone about… They are the reason I became so prone to suspicion. There were people I couldn't trust… and people who couldn't trust me. My life was like a nightmare…It is only natural my personality would be affected. Nevertheless, I believe my nature is going to come in handy in our current situation." Byakuya crossed his arms and looked away, "To survive in a situation like this… one must suspect everyone."

"…So, um… About that past of yours…" Hajime started, curious.

"…Not yet." Byakuya replied, looking to Hajime, "Someday, though… Someday I may be able to finally tell someone about it. If we manage to pass our days in peace, without anything happening, I may have no choice but to tell you…"

"T…That sounds awfully significant." Hajime muttered, Byakuya silent for a long time before saying:

"Oy. Enough useless talk. We have work to do."

"R…Right, I'm on it…" The two looked around and it wasn't long before they noticed the assortment of hanging kitchen knives, Byakuya reacting as he saw Hajime gathering them up.

"These knives are outrageous! Far too dangerous! Especially if Biyuki gets one, I doubt I'll be able to get her to hand over TWO knives in a row…Give them to me. I shall keep them safe." Byakuya instructed, taking them before putting them inside the case with everything else. As Hajime continued looking, he noticed all of the food Teruteru had yet to bring in, amazed that there was even more with all of the food already out there. The one that he noticed the most of course was a humongous meat on the bone, bigger than his own head! He wondered how Teruteru thought they would eat all of this…

"Least this food doesn't seem to have any dangerous things inside of it, unlike that Churrasco before…"

"Yeah, that's good." Hajime agreed.

' **Sigh… I almost thought he was going to say that bone could be used to bludgeon someone…'** Hajime thought before looking around and noticing a list of some sort.

"Um… This paper…" Hajime stating, Byakuya walking over and having a look at it.

"Hrm… This is an equipment list for this kitchen." Byakuya noted, "Fork x 20. Knife x 20. Spoon x 20. Skewer x 5. Frying pan x 3. Wine glass x 20…In addition, there's even a barbecue griddle and a portable stove for hot pots. A griddle and a portable stove… I found them on the shelf over there. They seem to be in excellent condition. Certainly very much usable." Byakuya agreed as Teruteru came in to collect some more of his dishes to put out.

"This kitchen is pretty good, isn't it? It's not even that much worse than the hotel restaurant." Hajime pointed out.

"Yeah, I was surprised…I thought Mizuki's idea to look and see if there was a kitchen in here was rather silly, since even if there was one it would probably be in as much of a state of disrepair as the rest of the building, but to my surprise it was actually really usable." Teruteru agreed.

"But… this is strange. There is one number in this list that doesn't fit." Byakuya muttered. That's when Teruteru looked over and noticed the mess Byakuya was making as he had taken the 'dangerous items', as well as all the missing cooking utensils.

"Whaaaaaaat?! You're making a mess of this whole kitchen! What is this?!" Teruteru demanded.

"Don't shout… you're hurting my ears. I am simply confiscating every dangerous item." Byakuya replied.

"Ah! My chef's knives! And all the tableware! Why? How come?!"

"I just told you. I am confiscating every dangerous item."

"You aren't saying… cooking utensils are dangerous?!" Teruteru exclaimed, then taking a sigh and calming himself down a bit, "Ah well… At least I'm nearly done with the cooking. I just need to get everything ready to serve… It's not a big problem, but…B…But…!" Teruteru began to sniffle before hugging Hajime tight, "Waaaaaaaah! Hajimeeeeeee!"

"N…No! S…Stop hugging me!" Hajime demanded, trying to squirm out of it.

"Eh? You're not predisposed to Boy's Love, Hajime? My fantasies are a little shattered…" Hajime's brows shot up and knit together at the feeling of surprise and concern, Luckily Byakuya speaking up.

"Oy… There's something I have to ask before you two go cuddle each other." Byakuya huffed.

"W-We're not-!"

"According to this list…" Byakuya interrupted, ignoring Hajime's plea, "There is one steel skewer missing."

"Oh, that's right… I believe it was missing since I first got here." Teruteru replied thoughtfully, then smiling, "Well, things are in pretty good shape here, but this is still the old lodge. This was bound to happen, wasn't it? I would have been more surprised if everything had been in perfect shape honestly…" Byakuya looked thoughtful for a moment, the room silent before Hajime decided to speak up.

"If it wasn't here in the first place… there's nothing we can do about it, can we?"

"…I suppose…You're right… There doesn't seem to be any place to hide such a long skewer, in any case. Very well… As long as I remain vigilant, we can let it rest." Byakuya sighed.

"Remain vigilant… you mean for the entire night?" Hajime questioned.

"Let's go back. The others must be waiting." Byakuya stated without answering him, turning and starting to leave, "You too, Teruteru. Right now, we should all gather at the main hall."

"Sure…" Teruteru agreed. It wasn't long until they'd returned, Mahiru the first to notice.

"Ah, they're finally back!" She informed everyone, the others turning to look.

"Hey, let's start already! I'm so hungry I can't take it anymore!" Akane whined.

"No… There is still one issue that requires our attention." Byakuya denied.

"Eh? There's still something left?" Akane questioned, "Whatever it is, we can just beat it up! I'll do it myself, so just tell me what to hit!"

"It's not that kind of problem…" Byakuya sighed, "We need to keep this case with the dangerous items safe somewhere."

"Can't we just leave it here?" Kazuichi suggested.

"You'd think that would be okay because it's under lock and key, but…I want to be extra careful tonight. We should find a safe place to store it." Byakuya instructed.

"Oh! I saw a storage room at the far end of the lodge." Sonia told him.

"Hmmm… No, we can't possibly use that place. It is not nearly safe enough." Byakuya denied.

"Jeez, you don't think you've been cautious enough already…?" Mizuki wondered, leaning on a table before getting another warning shot from Byakuya.

"It's good to be cautious." He stated simply, but there was so much power behind the soft words that Mizuki still shrank back a bit.

"In that case, let's have someone guard it. That would make it safe, would it not?" Peko stated.

"Eh? But, who'd want to do that?" Hiyoko questioned, "Stay all alone with that stupid thing when we're having a party…"

"…I would, of course." Peko replied simply.

"Eh… are you sure…? Um… We gladly accept your kind offer… or something…" Mikan stuttered out.

"But, um, wouldn't you get, like, lonely, all alone like that?" Ibuki wondered.

"I do not mind. I have never been good with crowded places." Peko replied, hands loosely on her elbows.

"Ha ha… Ibuki's gonna write a song about this! It'll be called 'One More Lonely Girl'!"

"Are you sure Peko…? We wouldn't want you to be excluded…" Mizuki stated, obviously concerned.

"I assure you, I will be fine on my own. But, since all the food is here, do you mind if I take my share with me to the storage room?" Peko requested.

"Of course not! Go right on ahead~" Teruteru responded.

"However… if we're going to have someone stand guard, there's probably a better place to use than the storage room…" Nagito said.

"Eh? Why?" Hajime inquired.

"That storage room is all messy and there's no light there. And there are cobwebs everywhere…I kinda had my hands full with this main hall, so I couldn't give that storage its proper attention." Nagito apologized.

"Yeah, I guess it's not the nicest place to sit in for a whole night… Or the healthiest." Hajime agreed.

"In that case… she can guard it at the office. The circuit breakers for the lodge are also in that room. We probably ought to guard those as well." Byakuya pointed out.

"Yeah, the office would be great. Happily, it isn't that messy over there." Nagito chirped.

"…I understand. I shall go and guard the case at the office then." Peko stated, grabbing the case and a plate of food, "I shall be going, then. Please enjoy yourself to the full, everyone." Then she left the room without another word.

"Ah, the pathos-filled image of Peko-chan walking into the distance is super-cool, huh?" Ibuki commented.

"I just hope she'll really be okay…I hate the thought of her having to miss out on all this fun just to guard that stupid case…" Mizuki sighed.

"Hey, what about the other case? Shouldn't she take that too?" Hiyoko mentioned.

"This is…No, this one is fine over here." Byakuya asserted.

"That's so unfair! How come you get to have your stuff with you?" Biyuki whined.

"Because I didn't try to stab someone this morning." Byakuya shot back, "And besides, I have special privileges. I am special, after all."

"…Kinda says it all, don't it?" Kazuichi muttered.

"This case is not to leave my sight. After all, it holds the key to the other one. I shall take responsibility and guard it personally. I can't trust anyone else with it." Byakuya insisted.

"M…More importantly… are we done with all those problems? Can we start the party already…?" Akane hoped, drool cascading from her mouth as she looked between everyone else and the food.

"No, there is still something left." Byakuya told her.

"I'll beat that one down too! Quickly, tell me what to hit!" Akane yelled.

"We told you before, haven't we? You can't solve these problems with violence…" Hajime warned, trying to calm her down a touch.

"Actually, she might be on to something. Someone has to keep him away, after all…" Byakuya muttered.

"Eh? You don't mean…?" Hajime questioned.

"The one thing that could hinder this party. Monokuma."

"Yes! We get to eat after I take down Monokuma, right?!" Akane cheered.

"Whoa, easy there… Picking a fight with Monokuma is only gonna stir up trouble we don't need." Nekomaru warned.

"Are you saying I should just wait here until I starve to death?!" Akane growled.

"No one's gonna starve to death!" Mizuki replied with a soft smile, "I doubt Byakuya would take it that far…"

"Hmm… Maybe there's a cleverer solution than blindly starting a fight…" Byakuya thought aloud.

"…Ah. In that case, I'll do something." Chiaki spoke up, for basically the first time since they'd started.

"Do something…? You…?" Byakuya questioned.

"Hey, hey… what can a little girl like you do? It's too dangerous, isn't it?" Kazuichi replied.

"You shouldn't judge people based on their height or gender." Biyuki warned with a cold glare.

"Besides, it isn't dangerous. I am not going to do anything on my own." Chiaki stated.

"You're not…?" Hajime wondered.

"I see… you intend to employ Monomi, then?" Gundham questioned.

"Yeah. I think I can cajole her with some flattery, and get her to help. Shouldn't be hard." Chiaki told them, "I'm sure she can probably help keep Monokuma in check… I think."

"Ah, that sounds like a good idea! She does seem pretty gullible, that rabbit!" Mahiru agreed.

"Monomi and Monokuma do act like rivals, after all!" Ibuki chirped.

"Well, just one of them always gets the upper hand, though." Hiyoko snickered.

"But…are you sure you're going to be alright, Chiaki? It's still dangerous, isn't it?" Nagito worried.

"Yeah, and you'll miss out on the party too…" Mizuki sighed, shoulders drooping.

"No, I'll be fine. If I sense danger, I'll immediately make a hasty retreat…And besides, as much fun as a party sounds, I can play some games while I'm watching out." Chiaki replied.

' **That doesn't sound good at all…!'** Hajime thought.

"…I'll be going, then." Chiaki stated.

"You don't want to take any food with you Chiaki?" Mizuki questioned, still sad.

"…I'm not all that hungry honestly, I forgot that there would be food and had dinner at the restaurant earlier…" Chiaki replied.

"How could you forget I was cooking a special meal?!" Teruteru huffed, crossing his arms, "Nevertheless though, I understand food doesn't taste nearly as good when you aren't in the mood to eat…You'll have to wait to taste my delicious food I suppose…" Chiaki gave a small nod and then left, Mizuki sighing sadly and everyone else quiet for a moment.

"So, everything's settled now, right? Can we just get to…?" Akane finally spoke up.

"…Yes. We can begin now." Byakuya allowed.

"LET'S DO IT!" Akane practically screamed, rushing towards the table.

"Heh heh heh… At long last, this banquet begins…" Gundham muttered before smirking, "Fuahahaha! Let us dine!" So then, the party really kicked off. Though they still didn't know exactly why they were having this party in the first place.

"Can I eat now? Can I?" Akane questioned, already taking bites like she was unable to control herself.

"…She says, face already full o' food…" Kazuichi chuckled.

"Ha ha… I can't stop…Ha ha ha ha! There's no way I'm stopping now!" Akane asserted.

"Of course you can't stop! You're eating the World's Tastiest party food! You'll eat 'til you're full! Then you'll eat 'til you burst! Then you'll eat some more!" Teruteru hummed, "That's what my World's Tastiest Food is all about!"

"T…That's a little scary…" Mikan stuttered.

"…Why aren't you eating? If you don't I'm gonna finish everything by myself!" Akane warned.

"I'm still bringing the food in, so don't worry - there's plenty more!" Teruteru assured.

"Hey, everyone! Since we're all here, should I take some pictures?" Mahiru asked.

"Oh, how wonderful! Please do!" Sonia agreed, Mahiru smiling as she started to take the pictures. Ibuki gasped.

"OMG you guys, I toootally just realized something super awesome! Ibuki, Mizuki, and Biyuki…ALL TOTALLY RHYME!" Ibuki exclaimed.

' **She only realized this now…?'** Hajime thought with a sigh.

"We could totally be, like, a band! So long as you guys follow the Ultimate Musician you'll have nothing to fear! We'll be super popular! We could call ourselves…the 'I-uki's'!" Ibuki excitedly suggested.

"…You know, um, you guys can actually all call me 'Yanii'. That's the name I used to enter Art contests and Gallery's with after all…Also, it's my username on most of my online stuff." Biyuki replied, "In fact, I encourage you all to please call me Yanii from this point forward."

"Awww…" Ibuki whined.

"It's alright Ibuki, we wouldn't have been much help in a band anyways…All I can do is sing a little and play a couple Zelda tunes and 'The lion sleeps tonight' on the Ocarina, and all Bi-kun has is a little flute skill under her belt." Mizuki warned with a small chuckle.

"Aww, well, I guess you and I can still be 'I-uki' buddies, right Mizuki?~" Ibuki chuckled. Mizuki chuckled with her.

"Sure, I'd like that!~"

"Hey, speaking of music, anyone got some tunes? It might spice this up a little bit!" Kazuichi suggested.

"Sorry, Ibuki didn't bring any of her instruments…" Ibuki apologized.

"It's okay Ibuki, we can just eat and such." Sonia comforted. Hajime watched everyone with a smile, though he did notice Biyuki whisper something to Mizuki and then leave, but he was sure it was nothing to worry about as he turned back to talking with the others.

' **This is… a strange feeling…'** Hajime thought, **'When we came to this island, I was angry at how much fun everyone seemed to be having…But now, I feel reassured. We really are comrades, fighting together… This solidarity sure is–'**

"Muuuuu…. muuuuuuu…!" Nekomaru whined.

"…Hm? Nekomaru? What's wrong?" Hajime questioned.

"I…I'm sorry for doing this without warning…But I… I have to pop back to the hotel for a little while…!" Nekomaru stated.

"Don't be foolish… I shall not allow any such action." Byakuya asserted.

"Do not attempt to stop me, Byakuya… There are times where you have to let a man go where he must…! If I don't go now… it is a mark of shame on me as a man." Nekomaru muttered.

"What are you talking about?" Mizuki wondered, concerned.

"Shitting the pants… IS A MARK OF SHAME TO A MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!" Nekomaru yelled.

"…You have to go to the toilet?!" Hajime questioned.

"If you need to use the toilet, there is one right here at the lodge. Why is the hotel necessary?" Byakuya inquired.

"D…Don't think I didn't try the nearest crapper first! But someone's been using it for a while now!" Nekomaru argued.

"W…What is the meaning of this…?!" Gundham shouted out of nowhere, attention turning to him.

"…What are YOU in a fuss about?" Byakuya asked.

"M…My 'Devildog Earring' is…It's gone! Has it flown away into subspace?!" Gundham questioned panicked.

"Don't make a racket. You probably dropped it somewhere." Byakuya told him.

"SHIT! MY SHIT IS COMING OOOUT!" Nekomaru groaned.

"Shut up and hold it!" Byakuya ordered.

"Heeeey, ish it really okay if I ee' erryfing?" Akane questioned with her mouth stuffed full.

"D…Don't be ridiculous! At least set something aside for me!" Byakuya insisted.

"Hey, Byakuya! Everyone! I'm taking another picture! Say cheeeeeeese…!" Mahiru announced as she took a picture.

"I don't know if now's really the time for that Mahiru…" Mizuki kindly mentioned, not wanting the tension to mount any higher.

"For heaven's sake, can't you all act a little more responsibly…?" Byakuya grumbled before a sharp beep was heard through the hall, "…Hm? What was that sound just now?" And as soon as he said that, the lights completely went out. Everyone stayed completely silent for a moment.

' **Huh…? Why is it suddenly pitch-black…?'** Hajime thought.

"Uwah, the power's out!"

"The hell happened?! I can't see nothing!"

"I…its too dark! Everything's too dark!"

"Waaaaah, What's going on?! I-OW!" There was a clatter as someone bumped into something.

"C…Calm down, everyone! We have to keep calm at a time like this!"

"Waaah! Don't step on my feet!"

"Oy, what are you doing?!"

"Stop it!"

"Ow!"

"Turn on the lights! It's hard to eat this way!"

"Hey, everyone! Where are you? T…This power outage… it isn't just in the kitchen?"

"Why in the world would a power outage just be in the kitch-OW!" Another clatter and bang.

"A-Are you hurt? I-I c-can try t-to make my w-way over and h-he-AAAH!" A thump and some more clattering were heard.

"Alright, can everyone stop trying to move in this pitch black room?!"

"Could someone perhaps have flipped the circuit breakers?"

"W…Wait here! I'll use the walls as a guide and go see if I can't fix this…!" Everyone did their best to wait patiently, hearing the opening and closing of the door, waiting in the utter darkness, before suddenly lights came back on, everyone blinking the dots away from their eyes before they were treated to a shocking sight.

"Ah…!" Hajime exclaimed.

"T…That's…!" Sonia stuttered out. It was… Mikan Tsumiki's messed up pose. The girl had somehow landed on her back with her hands together with Sausage links, her legs spread wide, and a plate of food over her crotch.

"I…I'm sorry! I fell down again!" Mikan apologized, Mizuki wide-eyed as she looked over from her position on the floor, some knocked over food and such surrounding her as well, mouth wide open.

"H…How the hell do you keep getting into these poses?!" Hajime wondered, averting his eyes.

"KEEP?! THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE?!" Mizuki exclaimed alarmed.

"Yay! An indecent pose! This is clearly a fan service scene, isn't it?~" Hiyoko chirped. Just then, Biyuki rushed back in.

"Is everyone alr-? WOAH, WHAT KIND OF PARTY DID THIS TURN INTO WHILE I WAS GONE?!" Biyuki squeaked, covering her eyes as she blushed deeply.

"H…Hiyaaaaaa… Don't! Don't look at me, pleaaaase!" Mikan begged.

"Hyohyohyo, Ibuki can't get enough of her!" Ibuki chuckled.

"Why hasn't anyone answered me about this happening before?!" Mizuki stuttered.

"Mahiru-chan! This would make a great picture!" Ibuki suggested, ignoring Mizuki.

"N…No way I'd take that kind of picture!" Mahiru objected.

"Hyuu… Forgive me…! Forgive me, pleaaaaaase!" Mikan cried out.

"E…Everyone… should we not help her, rather than standing here doing nothing?" Sonia suggested. Everyone quickly agreed, going over to help Mikan out of the predicament.

"Hyuuu… Sniffle… U…Uuuuuu…" Mikan sobbed, "I…I'm sorry to be a constant disturbance…!"

"Just… be more careful next time, okay?" Mahiru suggested.

"Oh, look at that! The lights're back on in here, too!" Kazuichi commented as he walked in.

"You flipped the breakers back up, Kazuichi?! Good for you! You actually managed to be useful for once!" Hiyoko cheered.

"Uh… well, actually… I had only just made it inside the office-that's where the breaker is-when the lights came back on…" Kazuichi told them.

"Eh? So, how come the power's back on?" Mahiru wondered.

"Search me…" Kazuichi replied.

"Don't say 'search me'! Try being a little more helpful!" Mahiru scolded.

"If Kazuichi doesn't know he doesn't know, he can't help that!" Mizuki argued.

"Yeah, I can't help it if the lights came back on randomly!" Kazuichi replied.

"…Huh?" Sonia questioned as she looked around, searching for something.

"Is something wrong, Sonia?" Nagito questioned.

"No…Well, yes actually, I suppose…It is just that I can't see Byakuya anywhere. Did he go somewhere?" Sonia inquired.

"…Eh? Byakuya?" Nagito considered. Everyone stopped and looked around the room, sure enough seeing no sign of Byakuya anywhere.

"T…That's strange… He was here when the power went out, wasn't he?" Mahiru stuttered out.

"He definitely was, I remember him telling everyone how immature they were being…" Mizuki muttered, "In fact, I think he was the last one to say anything before the lights went out…"

"Huh? Did he go somewhere… while the lights were out?" Ibuki questioned.

"But, it was completely dark…" Hajime stated.

"I'm… a little worried. Let's split up and search for him, for the time being." Nagito suggested, "I'll go look in the storage room. Hajime, how about you handle the entrance?"

"R…Right, I'm on it…" Hajime agreed.

"So… I'll go check the office. Y'know, since I can actually find the place this time." Kazuichi told them.

"I shall go look around the corridor, then." Sonia volunteered.

"I'm gon' wai' 'ere. I'm shtill ee'ing, you shee…" Akane mumbled through her food.

"Leave the toilet… to me…I WILL CHECK THE TOILET LIKE A MAN DOES!" Nekomaru rushed off after finishing that sentence.

' **Like a man does…? I… don't want to know.'** Hajime decided.

"Oh, Mr. Porkfeet… He must've run away like a scaredy-pig the moment the lights went out…What a useless leader. When we find him, I'm gonna pinch him on the forehead." Hiyoko chuckled.

"I'm sure he didn't just run off…That doesn't seem like him…" Mizuki muttered, seeming worried herself. Hajime thought about it for a moment before deciding to go search near the entrance, where Chiaki was. Though, on the way, he saw Nekomaru standing in the hall.

"Nuuuuuu…" He groaned.

"W…What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be checking the toilet?" Hajime inquired.

"S…Someone is using it…Someone's been using it ever since the party started…" Nekomaru whined out, "YOU FIEND! KEEPING THE CRAPPER TO YOURSELF IS EXTREMELY INCONSIDERATE!"

"Someone's been using the toilet… since the party started?" Hajime questioned confused.

"That's what it seems like… Every time I came here someone's been inside…" Nekomaru confirmed, "THAT'S IT! SHIT! SHIT'S COMING OUT! Guwaaaaaah! The more I hold it the more it keeps piling up!"

"J…Just hold it…! I know you can do it…!" Hajime encouraged.

' **But still… who could be using the toilet for such a long time?' He wondered, 'If it's been since the start of the party, it can't be Byakuya, right?'** Hajime put it aside for the time being, heading towards the entrance again to check it out. There he saw Chiaki and Monomi standing in front of the entrance. They must be on the lookout for Monokuma…

"Huh? Hajime… why aren't you at the party?" Chiaki questioned, tilting her head.

"Howawa! It isn't over already, is it?! I still didn't get a chance to participate!" Monomi worried.

"Hey, Chiaki… You haven't seen Byakuya around here, have you?"

"Byakuya? No, I haven't seen him…But…why are you looking for Byakuya?"

"There was a power outage inside the lodge… and when the lights came back on he was gone." Hajime explained, "So…I thought I'd check if he decided to go outside or something."

"Sorry, no one came outside at all." Chiaki told him.

"…Maybe he's in there and we keep missing him." Hajime suggested.

"…Maybe." Hajime stood there for a while, but it seemed there was nothing else for any of them to say, and so I went back to report to the others.

"Ah, Hajime! Well, how about it?" Nagito asked.

"Did you find Byakuya?" Mizuki hoped.

"I asked Chiaki, and she said he never came out of the lodge…" Hajime told them.

"Jeez, this guy just becomes more of a pain by the second doesn't he?" Biyuki grumbled.

"T…That's strange… There wasn't anyone in the storage room either." Nagito considered.

"No one in the kitchen either, of course." Teruteru told them.

"Or at the office…" Kazuichi replied.

"…There wasn't? At the office?" Sonia inquired.

"Huh? What about our Swordswoman? Wasn't she supposed to be there, guarding?" Hiyoko questioned.

"Yeah… Peko wasn't there at all." Kazuichi responding, then looking thoughtful, "Come to think of it, when I reached the office and the lights came on, she wasn't in there either…"

"…Eh? So Peko is also missing?" Mahiru questioned.

"Perhaps… they took advantage of the darkness and they're necking each other at the toilet…? Outrageous!" Teruteru exclaimed.

"Don't go assuming everyone is as perverted as you!" Biyuki scolded.

"…Hm? Hmmmmm?" Akane paused, sniffing the air.

"Akane, what is it?" Mizuki wondered.

"Is something bothering you?" Sonia inquired.

"No… but don't you smell something…?" Akane muttered.

"Um… the remains of undigested food in the small intestine are decomposed by intestinal microbes and turn into a gas…" Mikan started, "That gas is mostly absorbed in the intestinal tract, but the part that doesn't is discharged through the anus. T…That's the way farts work… So… farting is not embarrassing at all!"

"No, that's not it…" Akane dismissed, she took another sniff, everyone silent, "…What I smell… is blood." The air turned stiff as everyone remained silent for another moment.

"…Blood?!" Hajime questioned.

"Hm… hm… hm…" Akane hummed as she sniffed, nose twitching this way and that as she followed the smell slightly then pointed to the table at the far end of the main hall, "It's coming from over there. I'm sure of it…!"

"Blood…? I can smell nothing, save for the sweet fragrance of the food…" Sonia mentioned.

"H…Hey, how come you can sniff out blood in the first place…?!" Mahiru questioned.

"Who cares, it's pretty awesome!" Biyuki replied with a smile, "Like predators!"

"…Are you sure you're not imagining it? I'm sure that's it." Teruteru muttered, combing his hair as he often did when nervous.

"I did fall a couple times during the blackout…Maybe it's from me…?" Mizuki muttered, "But, I don't think I cut myself anywhere…"

"Someone just go and check it out already!" Mahiru demanded.

"I'm sure it's over there… The smell of blood is coming from that table…" Akane affirmed.

"The smell of blood…" Hajime muttered, walking closer cautiously, looking the table over, "I don't see anything…on the table…"

"It's… under it…!" Akane stated slowly.

"Under the table…?" Hajime muttered, "There's no way!" He shakily put his hand to grab the table cloth, and in one swift movement-

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" He heard Mizuki scream far before he saw it himself, but upon glancing his eyes down…He saw a sight that immediately burned itself into his mind. Lying underneath the table…

Was the lifeless body of the Ultimate Affluent Progeny, Byakuya Togami.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you so much for reading this far everyone! I am so happy that you have! Again, I love reviews and comments, positive or negative really! Thank you all, and I hope you enjoy this chapter too! Time to investigate! Let's find out what happened to poor Byakuya Togami!**

 **Chapter 3**

"Bya…kuya…? Eh? Why is Byakuya…?" Sonia wondered, voice shaking.

"N…No…" Mahiru stuttered out, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Despite the scream, Hajime couldn't move, couldn't even look away, from Byakuya's dead body lying there under the table, "…W…Why?!"

"WHAT'S GOING OOOOOOOOOON?!" Nekomaru cried out.

"AGYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Teruteru shrieked.

"N…No way…!" Kazuichi freaked, "Stop jokin' around! This ain't right!"

"This… isn't real blood, right? It's just jam or sauce…I…It can't be…" Ibuki whimpered.

"…No…I've seen the real thing enough to know this is it…" Biyuki softly spoke, a closed fist resting on her chest as she looked over his body, a touch of sadness in her eyes.

"…Abuabuabuabuabuabu!" Ibuki was foaming at the mouth.

That's when HE showed up…

"Goodness! I see something shocking has happened!" Monokuma stated in fake surprise, "Shocking! Just, shocking! I mean, isn't it electrifying?! The newly deserted Jabberwock Island has finally seen its first murder!"

"M…Murder…?" Hajime breathed out.

"W…Wait! So, you mean…?!" Nagito questioned alarmed.

"Upupu… Of course…Byakuya… was killed by one of you." Monokuma confirmed.

"Wha…?!" Hajime questioned, unbelievingly.

"You can tell just by looking at the body. It's obviously murder! Look at that ugly face…It's the face of a man cursed with losing his life for the sake of another person's ego…When you see that kind of dead face…" Monokuma paused before becoming much more energetic, claws coming out, "What could it be other than murder?! Someone here wanted so desperately to go home that they decided to make Byakuya a victim."

"Y…You're lying…It's a lie! No one killed him!" Hajime asserted, though a deep pit of despair had begun to grow heavy within him.

"W…What… is this?!" They heard, turning to see a shocked Peko in the doorway, Chiaki right next to her, "I…Is that…Byakuya…?"

"Why… Why did this happen? Why Byakuya?" Chiaki questioned.

"Ahem… It seems the only person still missing is Fuyuhiko…It wouldn't be fair to leave him out, would it? So let's do that thing we do!~" Monokuma chirped before disappearing once more, only to reappear on a nearby screen with a bell sounding off.

"A body has been discovered! After a short time for investigation, we will start a "school trial"!" Monokuma announced.

"School… trial…?" Hajime questioned as the monitor went blank, Monokuma reappearing in the room.

"You should listen more Hajime, I explained it twice already! Once to everyone but Mizuki and Biyuki, and once to all of you together! But, since I'm a swell guy, I'll tell you again! When a murder occurs between you bastards, you are required to reason out who the culprit among you is."

"Y…You want us to find the culprit…?" Hajime stuttered out, still rattled.

"Exactly! You guys must conduct an investigation, and expose the culprit who killed Byakuya!" Monokuma confirmed.

"That's impossible… How could someone have killed him…? There's no way anyone would!" Mahiru shouted.

"Upupu… That kind of reaction will just serve to draw suspicion toward you, you know…"

"I…I won't believe it… I won't believe one of us killed Byakuya…There's no way such a despair-inducing thing would happen!" Nagito argued.

"The moment you all start thinking that way will be the moment the culprit drives you to the wall. So, let's start this show! It's a battle for life between you guys and the culprit! And this battle has already begun! It began the moment one of you started scheming murder!" Monokuma chortled.

"W…Wait! What are you saying?!" Monomi stated, appearing suddenly, "Everyone! You mustn't! You mustn't listen to what Monokuma is saying!"

"It doesn't matter how much you try to interfere, there is only one truth." Monokuma told her dismissively, "Come on everyone, the game is afoot!"

"A foot game? Are you talking about soccer?" Monomi questioned.

"Come, Monomi, I'll give you the boot!"

"Boots?! But it's not even raining!"

"Come, Monomi, you're covered in soot!"

"W…What?! Did this happen because of the boots?! This is horrible!"

"Man, this joke is going nowhere… In that case…" Monokuma sighed before winding up and giving a corkscrew punch, "I'm breaking up this comedy duo!"

"UGYAAAAAAAAAAA! Being hit by a corkscrew blow really really hurts!" Monomi cried.

"Don't think you're equal to me in power! I shall not treat disobedient little sisters with mercy! Your big brother can be quite the demon when he needs to! I am heavily into discipline!"

"Uuu… If only I had my Magical Stick… I could fight back against Monokuma…"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's forget the pitiful howling of the underrabbit, and start the investigation already. I want you to show me the love by suspecting and deceiving each other! Give it all you got! All the best!" and with that, Monokuma left, leaving them with the despair he had sewn.

"W…What's going on…? I don't get it…!" Mahiru panicked.

"He wants us to search for Togami's killer? Why, such a terrible thing…?" Peko said softly.

"G…Gimme a break…Why do I have to get caught up in all this bother…?" Kazuichi mumbled to himself.

"U…Um… You mustn't doubt each other… You should all be friends…" Monomi told them.

"But, Mr. Porkfeet really has been killed, you know. If we don't find the culprit, everyone else is gonna die too!" Hiyoko pointed out.

"Nevertheless, I cannot abide this!" Sonia called out, "I have finally made some friends… and now I must be suspicious of them?!"

"This is not about whether you can or can't abide with this…You just have to if you want to live, don't you? It's not like we have a choice." Hiyoko countered.

"You mustn't! Friends mustn't doubt each other! Never!" Monomi pleaded.

"Shut up! If you have nothing useful to say, just go away, you stupid rabbit!" Kazuichi shouted.

"Howawa! Being scolded is scary!" Monomi cried out.

"…We really don't… have a choice…" Hajime slowly said.

"I hate this… I really hate this…" Mahiru muttered out.

"I…I hate it too! I hate it and I'm scared!" Mikan whimpered.

"We can't be taken over by fear! That's just what Monokuma wants! Th-that's why this happened to begin with I bet!" Biyuki scolded.

"And whether we hate it or not, Hiyoko is right. We will be killed if we don't do it… so we have no choice." Peko solemnly stated.

"…But… I still won't believe it. I won't believe one of us killed Byakuya…I can't believe it… I'll never believe it…And that's why…I'm gonna do it." Nagito resolved, "I will investigate Byakuya's death… and prove it wasn't one of us who killed him. We don't have to suspect and deceive each other. What we must fight isn't one another…It's this despair that's trying to destroy us!"

"Ah, may I say something before we begin?" Chiaki requested, "In closed-circle mystery games and the like, this is where they decide who is going to guard the crime scene…Maybe we should do the same?"

"I see. It would be terrible if the culprit were to destroy evidence. It would put the rest of us at a disadvantage." Hiyoko agreed.

"D…Destroy evidence…?" Mikan fretted.

"If we need a guard, there's someone with the perfect physique for it! Iiiiiiiit's that person!" Ibuki suggested, pointing to Nekomaru.

"…U…UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Nekomaru shouted before running out.

"W…What the…? What happened?" Hajime questioned.

"Guess he's got a delicate heart under that tough exterior…" Kazuichi muttered.

"…A…Are you sure that's really it?"

"Um… I'll stay here…" Mahiru replied, "I don't have the confidence required for investigating the body, and I'm not that smart anyway…All I can really do right now is stay by Byakuya's side. That works for guarding the scene, doesn't it?"

"M…Mahiru…U…Um… um…! I…I'll do my best too! I'll do my best not to stand in anyone's way! I…I know just enough to examine the body a little… Please, let me do what I can as a medical worker, and…P-preform an autopsy…" Mikan stuttered out.

"So… you'll stay here as well, Mikan?" Chiaki confirmed.

"But… what are the rest of us supposed to do, in concrete terms? Ibuki has no clue!"

"It's true that we're not exactly trained for murder investigations…We can't exactly go combing through every grain of sand on the beach, looking for clues. Only the police can use such methods… It's impossible for amateurs like us." Nagito sighed, "That's why, right now… what's important is our intuition. Our intuition will lead us to the proof. The proof that there is no culprit who killed Byakuya."

"But… investigating a friend's death is a cruel thing to do…" Monomi whimpered.

"You're wrong." Mizuki suddenly said, everyone jumping slightly since she'd been silent for so long, Mizuki turning around to face them all, eyes serious, "Investigating a friend's death is the kindest thing we can do right now. Byakuya wanted there to be no victims. He died believing in all of us living on. To let his death be the end of us…When Byakuya wanted so much for everyone to be okay…To not find out who did this to him, whether one of us or not…Wouldn't that be the truly cruel thing?"

"Mizuki…" Peko breathed out as she watched her.

"With all of my heart I believe that Byakuya would want us to find who did this, and that if he could speak right now he'd be rallying us all to go investigate, to find out what happened. And I will not ignore that wish." Mizuki stated solemnly, "The cruel thing isn't to investigate his death Monomi…The cruel thing is if one of us was really guided by Monokuma's puppet strings to commit such a terrible act…"

Everyone stood silent, watching Mizuki for a moment, Mizuki quickly beginning to feel nervous under the gaze, but not wanting to break in her resolve, trying to keep looking confident until someone finally spoke up.

"Well then." Nagito replied with a nod, "Let's get to investigating then."

"Tah-dah! You thought you were going to start investigating now, didn't you? But there's one more thing!" Monokuma hummed, popping out of nowhere, "The Monokuma File! It's a necessary provision for amateurs like you guys, of course!~"

"W…What the hell…? The Monokuma File…?" Hajime questioned, looking at the file that had been sent to his handbook.

"Honestly, I have to explain everything that should be obvious? What a pain…Although, it's not like I can feel pain, is it? But, enough with the lame jokes! As I was saying. The Monokuma File courteously collects and confirms facts regarding the body. Isn't that so kind of me?~ I mean, amateurs like you couldn't possibly get information like this on your own…I'm so kind I wish they'd call me the Mother Theresa of the mascot world!"

"You wish…? That's just a simple yearning, isn't it!" Monomi scolded.

"Oh? Monomi-chan, the meaningless mascot, is still here?"

"Don't make up a mascot genre just for me!"

"We're leaving now! Your role here is over! Come with me right now!"

"It hurts! Don't pull my ears! You'll tear them off!"

And just like that, the two were gone.

"…Thank goodness…I hate rabbits anyways…" Biyuki muttered, crossing her arms.

Hajime looked back to the file, reading the contents briefly.

 **The victim's body was discovered at the main hall of Hotel Mirai's old lodge.**

The time of death was around 11:30PM.

The cause of death was stabbing with a sharp object. The victim was stabbed multiple times in the region between the abdomen and the throat.

There are no other wounds on the body, nor any traces of poison or other drugs.

Hajime frowned as he finished reading the file. He knew Byakuya was dead…He had seen his body himself…But…Seeing it written there, just made it all the more real…And just when he had felt he might be getting close to him…

"Anyway… I should start my investigation. I must not miss anything." Hajime looked at the top of the table first, not wanting to look under just yet, but the only thing up there was a desk lamp, plugged into the wall outlet…That wasn't very helpful…He steeled his nerves. He had to do it…Had to…Look under there…With a deep breath, he knelt down, examining the body. He felt sorrow first, quietly promising to Byakuya:

"I will find the truth behind your death." Before looking closer. Under the table, Byakuya's body was lying face down, the blood pooling slightly around him…It looked as though he was in the middle of doing something, but…The file said he had been repeatedly stabbed between his stomach and his throat…it was hard to imagine any of them being so cruel as to do that…

"…Hm? What's this?" Hajime wondered as his eyes fell upon what seemed to be…

' **They look like… binoculars…?'** He thought curiously.

"Why are there binoculars under the table?" He wondered.

"Hajime… those aren't binoculars." Nagito corrected.

"Eh? So… what are they?"

"I'm pretty sure… they're night-vision goggles."

"N…Night-vision goggles?"

"I saw them at the supermarket when we were there earlier. They had a whole stand of military and survival stuff…"

' **Did the culprit use night-vision goggles to stab Byakuya during the blackout…?'** Hajime wondered, then his eyes turning to something a tad more alarming, **'This blood-stained knife… Is this the murder weapon? …And… Hey, wait a minute…How did a murder weapon even get into the hall? I mean… Byakuya was VERY thorough in his body checks, and even went to check around the lodge…Every dangerous item should have been inside that duralumin case…Maybe… someone could have swiped it from the case…? Or…maybe… it was hidden somewhere and Byakuya didn't see it…There's one more interesting thing about this knife…There's some kind of paint all over the handle…When I look at it under the table, where the light is dim, it seems to be faintly luminous…Could this be glow-in-the-dark paint?'** He looked down to the blood Byakuya was lying in. There was so much…And there were stains all over the underside of the cloth….But, there wasn't a trail anywhere…There was something on the underside of the table…tape? With the same paint as the knife… He gave one more look and decided he had probably looked at everything he could under there, and decided to talk to the students who had remained in the hall: Mikan, Gundham, Nagito, Mahiru, Mizuki, and Biyuki. He started with Mikan, walking over to her as she muttered to herself.

"Uuu… why must we investigate a friend's death? T…This is horrible…B…But! I'm the only one here who's a medical worker! S…So… I have to do something…! S…S…Something…" Mikan stuttered out, jumping when Hajime put a hand on her shoulder.

"How about calming down a little first?" He suggested with a small smile.

"You're right… I…I have to calm down. I mean… I am prone to accidents even when I'm not panicking…" Mikan agreed.

"Yeah… I can tell by the way you keep falling down."

"T…That was a truly disgraceful pose I found myself in, wasn't it…Nooooooo! I…I just remembered it again! T…That embarrassing pose… I…in front of everybody…!"

"Embarrassing or not… how did you even end up like that?"

"I-I heard someone else fall in the chaos, t-twice! Th-the second time I was better able to tell w-where it was coming f-from, and it sounded as though th-they might be…injured…so, I-I went to go tr-try and help them, I-it's my duty as a Nurse aft-ter all…But…S…Somehow… I was distracted by the blackout and my foot got caught in the edge of the carpet… And I tried to get loose and…Wahh… it is embarrassing after all…! Please… erase it from your memory!" Mikan begged.

"Um… unfortunately, it's not that easy to forget…I'm sorry." Hajime apologized.

"Sniff… I can't take it…!" Hajime decided that anything else he said would only make it worse, turning and walking over to talk to Nagito.

"Hey Nagito."

"Hey, Hajime. Good timing. There's actually something I want to confirm with you…Byakuya… was here with us at the main hall until the lights went out, right?" Nagito questioned.

"…Yeah, I am sure of that."

"And since we found his body after the lights came back on…That means he has to have died during the blackout, right?" Nagito reasoned.

"Yeah, I guess you're right…"

"But… Why did we find Byakuya's body under that table? If the culprit wanted to hide the body, it wasn't a very effective hiding place…I don't get it at all." Nagito puzzled.

"Yeah…" Hajime muttered, thoughtfully.

"It seems… that figuring out what happened during the blackout would be a huge step toward solving this mystery."

"But there's no way we can do that, is there? It was completely dark back then. No one could see anything."

"You're right. Seeing was impossible. But maybe there's someone who could hear what happened?" Nagito suggested.

"…Hear?" Hajime questioned, though he already thought he might know who the other was talking about, "…We can go check it out after I've talked to everyone here." Nagito nodded, Hajime turning to go talk to Mahiru next. She seemed deep in thought, not realizing he was there until he spoke.

"Mahiru… are you alright?" He questioned tentatively.

"Alright? Sure…" She muttered then exploding on him, "…Of course I'm not alright! This is madness! I mean… we were just talking to that guy… and now he's…How could this ever be 'alright'? And that's not all! One of us killed him, right?!"

"We… still don't know that for sure…"

"…Yes, we do! I'm sure you've figured that much out by yourself already! And now… we have to find out who the culprit is…. We have to accuse one of our friends of killing another friend…" Mahiru's voice wavered, holding herself as Hajime moved to comfort her slightly, a hand on her shoulder.

"I don't like it myself… but if we don't, we're done for. This isn't every man for himself! We have to do it for everyone's sake!" He told her.

"If I had just acted a little more calmly during the blackout, Byakuya would probably not be dead now. And we wouldn't be doing this right now…" Mahiru replied.

"Come on… You can't blame yourself for this…" Mahiru was silent for a long time before huffing.

"Ah, I've had it! This isn't like me at all, being consoled by a man like this! Hey, Hinata. This conversation never happened. Got it?!" Mahiru asserted.

"Uh… Sure…" Hajime agreed nervously.

"Anyway… I'll try and stop thinking about it too much. I don't want to be a hindrance to everyone. And… there's one thing I have on me that might be helpful…"

"…You have something helpful?"

"Photos. Do you remember? I took some right before the blackout happened."

"I see… You have the photos from back then…"

"Do you want to see them? This is a digital camera, so we can look at them straight away." Mahiru offered.

"Yeah, let's see them!" Hajime agreed, moving to look at the screen of the camera.

"Um… there's this photo and…This one, as well. I took both right before the blackout, but…" Mahiru's brows suddenly creased as she looked at the picture, "Huh…?"

"…Is something wrong?" Hajime inquired.

"I just noticed. Take a look at where Byakuya was standing before the blackout…He's quite a distance from that table we found him under, isn't he? I mean, that table is that one with the lamp on it, right under the monitor, right? Well, Byakuya's standing clear on the opposite side of the room!" Mahiru pointed out.

"You're right… That's pretty far away…"

' **Something isn't right here…'** Hajime thought to himself before turning back to Mahiru.

"Hey, can you tell exactly where everyone was standing from these pictures?"

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. It's a little difficult to tell just by looking at them, though, but I should be able to figure it out if I'm careful…But… would that really be helpful?" Mahiru questioned.

"I still don't know for sure… but it couldn't hurt." Hajime replied with a shrug.

"Got it… so, leave that to me. I think this is a job only I can handle."

"Yeah, that would be great." Hajime confirmed.

"Right, in that case…You've got work to do too, don't you?! How long do you plan to stand here being useless?!" Mahiru scolded, "I fully expect you to bring to light the reason Byakuya was killed. Understand?"

"Y…Yeah, I understand…" Hajime laughed nervously, turning and walking next over to Gundham.

"O, Devildog Earring… answer my calls!" Gundham plead aloud, waiting for a moment then crying out when nothing happened, "Argh! Will nothing work…?!"

"Um, are you… still looking for that earring you dropped?" Hajime inquired.

"It is no ordinary earring… It is 'The Devildog Earring'! Once, in a distant land, there lived a savage beast that couldn't be tamed – even by his so-called 'master'. They called him 'The Devildog'…" Gundham recalled.

'… **I regret asking.'** Hajime thought.

"The Devildog wandered from one battlefield to the next, his fangs forever slimy with hot blood…His fur, stained red, drying in the wind… he wandered the earth alone for eternity…And on the day I finally domesticated the Devildog, I was given an earring as a keepsake…That is the legend of the Devildog Earring. I carry it always… so I shall never forget the day I fought that fearsome Pomeranian…" Gundham told him.

' **A fearsome… Pomeranian. Right.'**

"I get that it's important to you, but… what about Byakuya's murder?" Hajime pointed out.

"Where is it?! Answer me! Where did it disappear to?!" Gundham demanded.

"…Maybe… it fell under the floor? The carpet doesn't extend to the corners of the hall, so it's possible it fell through the gaps in the floor…" Hajime suggested with a sigh, Gundham looking over to the floorboards in question before smiling.

"Muhahaha! So, that is what happened! A fine observation…!" He laughed loudly before walking to the corner and pushing his face towards one of the gaps, "I…It's there…It's there! My Devildog Earring! Fuha! Fuhahaha! God favors Gundham Tanaka alone!"

"That's great."

"…But, how do I get it out of there? My hand will not fit through this gap, and it seems no tool can reach far enough in…"

"I guess you have to give it up, then?"

"…Give up on the world?"

"The earring."

"Bah! Do you not know?! Should this earring ever be lost to mankind, this world will end in an instant…! You humans… forever satisfied with your fabricated wisdom! These falsehoods will not protect you when the cold comes, ignorant one." Gundham told him as he stood, Hajime very confused as to why he was upset at HIM now, "Feh. I was naive to think I could depend on you… So be it. I shall see to this matter personally. The wellbeing of this world… falls once again into my hands." That was when Gundham left the room. Hajime sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

' **I guess he really wants that earring back. That's some determination he has, though…I wish he'd use it to help with the investigation.'** Hajime thought, turning and walking over to Biyuki next.

"Um…So…Stabbed repeatedly…" Hajime muttered, looking at Biyuki as she looked deep in thought before she turned to him with a raised brow.

"Oh, so you think it's me because of this morning, right? …I was waiting for something like this to come up…" Biyuki sighed.

"…I don't want to doubt you or anything Biyuki, but…He was stabbed…"

"Well, you don't have to worry. It wasn't me. He took my knife, remember? And also, I'm pretty sure earlier I told everyone to call me Yanii. I like it better." Biyuki retorted.

"…Right…Yanii, but, there's a knife under the table…"

"That's not MY knife though. Mine is still locked up in the case." Biyuki refuted.

"So?"

"So? You think I'd cheat on my knife?! Insulting…I would never stab or slice or anything with anything besides my knife! I got that knife the day I met Mizuki…It's very special to me…That's why I was so sad Byakuya took it…" Biyuki sighed, "And besides that, if you'll recall I wasn't even in the room when that happened."

"…Huh? Oh yeah…" Hajime recalled, remembering her telling Mizuki something then departing, "Where did you go?"

"To the bathroom, if you have to know…" Biyuki replied, "Little nosy of you, don't you think?"

"Can't leave any stone unturned during an investigation…"

"…I understand…But I'm done talking to you." Biyuki told him, crossing her arms and turning.

'… **.That seems to be the end of that…'** He thought, looking around to see the last person he hadn't talked to, Mizuki, sitting and holding her arms sadly.

"…Mizuki? Are you okay?"

"…I wish I could take it back."

"…Huh? What are you talking about Mizuki?" Hajime wondered. Mizuki looked up at him sadly.

"All of that sass I was giving Byakuya…About how forks and table knives weren't dangerous, and how cautious he was being…He was right…He should have been even MORE cautious…He just wanted to protect everyone and I…I wish I could take what I said back…" Mizuki muttered, pulling her knees up to her chest.

"Mizuki, don't say that…We all thought he was going a little overboard…" Hajime comforted.

"But I was the one that was a big jerk about it." Mizuki sighed, looking up to Hajime, "But…I still believe we can find who killed him…I-I'll help wherever I can…In fact…D-Do you mind if I come with you? I promise I won't get in the way." Hajime gave a slight nod.

"If you want to, I could use all the help I can get…" He agreed. Biyuki watched this and thought about it before deciding to just let Mizuki go. If she went anywhere that had clues and touched things, people might accuse her of trying to hide evidence or something. Mizuki gave a small smile and a nod.

"Great, just tell me when you want to go!" Mizuki told him. Hajime nodded, deciding to take one more look around before they all left. He looked over and saw the air conditioner on the wall, considering it. Perhaps that was where the beeping had come from…? He walked over and looked closer at it.

' **The timer is set to 11:30…That's about the same time Byakuya was killed. In that case…That mechanical beep back then must have been this air conditioner turning on!'** Hajime confirmed. He looked around then noticed the duralumin case, frowning as he walked over slowly.

' **Ah, that's… the duralumin case Byakuya was carrying…It seems it's been opened at some point…'** Hajime considered, looking inside, **'There's a nightstick inside… and a can of tear gas… and some other unsettling items…'** Then his eyes landed on something interesting, **'…Hm? What is this? It's a hard plastic case… but it's empty. What was inside…? That would be interesting to know. But, there's one more interesting thing in here.'** He reached and picked up the key inside of the case, **'This key… It must be the key to the other duralumin case. The one with all the dangerous items in it. The one in the office…If the key's still here, inside this case, then…It stands to reason that the other case hasn't been opened…In other words… The weapons inside that other case have nothing to do with Byakuya's murder…'**

' **But… I feel like I understand even less now. Why did Byakuya have this case with him? It's packed full of defense items…But these… aren't exactly the kinds of things you keep around 'just in case'….'** Hajime thought it over before an idea struck him, **'Maybe… he knew something was up? And… he was so cautious he had to keep these things with him?'**

"Ah, Hajime… Do you have a second?" Nagito requested.

"…Hm? What is it?" Hajime wondered, turning to him.

"If you're done investigating the hall for now, how about we go talk to the others together? See, if I go talk to them alone, there might be some who would be on their guard and won't talk to me…" Nagito told him.

"Well… We've just been told the culprit is one of us, so its natural people will be on their guard…But, why me?"

"Hmmm… why indeed? You're easy to talk to, Hajime. And… I feel you're a little like me. We both have special feelings toward Hope's Peak Academy… don't we?"

"Well, I guess…Sure. Mizuki also asked to come with me though, so the three of us will have to work together." Hajime responded.

"…That's okay! Mizuki is really nice." Nagito agreed.

"Come on Mizuki, We're going." Hajime declared.

"Okay!" Mizuki chirped, running over as the three headed out to investigate.

"For the time being, let's investigate the rest of the lodge and speak to everyone. I think… we should consider our 'crime scene' to be the whole building, and not just the main hall…I mean, when the lights went out, it affected the entire lodge." Nagito stated.

"Yeah, you're right." Hajime agreed.

"Alright, if you guys think so." Mizuki replied, following as they went over towards Ibuki first, who was walking up and down the corridor.

"…Ibuki? What are you doing?" Nagito questioned. Ibuki looked up and gave a big smile.

"Every great detective knows you can't have a proper investigation without lots of legwork! So Ibuki's using her legs! She's been idly walking up and down this corridor!" Ibuki told them excitedly.

"…Hey, Hajime… I've been thinking. I think she might know something about the situation during the blackout." Nagito commented.

"Yeah, I thought so too." Hajime agreed.

"Huh?! Why do you think so?!" Ibuki questioned.

"As expected, you heard us, even though we've been whispering to each other…" Nagito chuckled.

"Tee-hee! Ibuki not only has looks, style and personality – her ears are pretty good too!~"

"…That's exactly it. If your ears really are that good, you must have heard exactly what went on during the power outage." Hajime pointed out.

"Cool! Like a superpower!" Mizuki hummed happily.

"When the lights were down… there were a lot of people talking. I couldn't really tell who everyone was… but you probably could, right, Ibuki?" Nagito determined.

"This is breakfast for Ibuki!"

"…Huh?" Hajime wondered.

"Heh heh heh heh! Ibuki stuffs herself full of strawberry shortcake every morning!"

"Oh, I see… so it's 'a piece of cake'… But, isn't strawberry shortcake a little excessive first thing in the morning?" Nagito chuckled.

"Any other type of cake would be heretical! If it's cake, it must be strawberry shortcake!" Ibuki demanded.

"Hmmm… I'd think chocolate cake and cheesecake are pretty popular too…" Nagito pointed out.

"Ooh! Or chocolate cheesecake! Or ice cream cake!~ …Though maybe not for breakfast…" Mizuki muttered.

"Anyway… Can you just tell us what you heard? I'm begging you." Hajime sighed, already done with the three being so distracted.

"At last! Ibuki's been waiting for something to sink her teeth into!"

"No problem! If you help us, I'll let you bite Hajime, too." Nagito offered.

"Shut up… She might think you're serious." Hajime grumbled.

"Take one for the team Hajime." Mizuki replied.

"Leeeeet's see… The first voice Ibuki heard during the blackout was…" Ibuki looked deep in thought, "Right, Mahiru! She was all like: 'Uwah, the power's out!' Then Kazuichi said 'The hell happened?! I can't see nothing!' Then next was Ibuki herself, 'I…its too dark! Everything's too dark!' such a true and insightful comment…"

"Right, right, and then?" Hajime encouraged.

"Oh, then it was you Mizu-kun! 'Waaahhh, what's going on?! I-OW!' and then you bumped into something and fell."

"Yeah…I hit the table…"

"Then Mahiru talked again, 'C…Calm down, everyone! We have to keep calm at a time like this!' then Hiyoko was like, 'Waaah! Don't step on my feet!' and then Byakuya said 'Oy, what are you doing?! Stop it!' and Nagito went 'Ow!' Then Akane was all like 'Turn on the lights! It's hard to eat this way!' Then Teruteru responded with 'Hey, everyone! Where are you? T…This power outage… it isn't just in the kitchen?' And then Mizuki musta tried standing up again and moving because she said 'Why in the world would a power outage just be in the kitch-OW!' before she knocked into something else, and then Mikan was tryin to be all noble and stuff and said 'A-Are you hurt? I-I c-can try t-to make my w-way over and h-he-AAAH!' before she tripped, probably into that super awkward position, and then Mahiru got kinda pissed and was like 'Alright, can everyone stop trying to move in this pitch black room?!' Then Sonia spoke up with 'Could someone perhaps have flipped the circuit breakers?' and then Kazuichi told everyone 'W…Wait here! I'll use the walls as a guide and go see if I can't fix this…!' And then he left." Ibuki smiled, hands on her hips as she opened her eyes, "Thank you, thank you. And, we're done! Tee-hee. Amazing, huh?! How awesome was that?!"

"Yeah, got it. You can let go of my sleeve now…Hey, Nagito, Mizuki… Say something to her…!" Hajime plead, but the two looked deep in thought, "…Hey, what's wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, I just noticed something. It's about what Byakuya said during the blackout…" Nagito considered.

"…Byakuya?"

"How come Byakuya said what he did when everything was dark? That is… how could he say it? 'What are you doing?!', and then 'Stop it!'…" Nagito puzzled.

"…What do you mean?"

"Would you mind if we wait until after we've investigated some more before I tell you what's on my mind? Right now… I'm still not certain of anything." Nagito muttered.

"Well, I don't really mind, but…"

"Anyway, I think your testimony's going to be a very important clue to finding the truth, Ibuki."

"Yes! All hail Ibuki! Time for my prize!"

"–Ow! She actually bit me!" Hajime rubbed his arm as he saw Mizuki thinking too, "What about you Mizuki, what are you thinking about?"

"Hmm? Oh, it's probably nothing…I was just a little confused about something…But with my ADHD I probably just didn't notice…I don't want to make a fuss…" Mizuki muttered.

"Alright then, if you're sure…" Hajime replied, looking around before they spotted Sonia, looking confused as they walked over, then noticing them.

"Um… May I ask of you all a question?"

"…Hm? What is it?" Hajime wondered.

"Um, you see…" Sonia turned and put her hand on a part of the wall, "This part of the wall is made of different material and is colored differently from the rest. What does it mean?"

"Oh. This is a fire door, isn't it?" Nagito thought aloud.

"A… fire door?" Sonia questioned.

"…Eh? You've never seen one before?" Hajime wondered.

"In case there's a fire, this door can be sealed to stop it from spreading. That gives everyone a chance to escape." Nagito explained.

"I see! It seals the area! This is just like when you surround a house with plastic bottles!"

"…Well, that's for cats." Hajime replied.

"So she knows how to keep cats away, but she's never seen a fire door." Nagito chuckled.

"I don't know why anyone would ever want to keep cats AWAY…" Mizuki muttered.

"I am so very ashamed… This is most certainly a case of culture shock." Sonia apologized.

"No, no, it's fine. If you need anything else, we'll be in the kitchen." Nagito assured her, the group heading over there next. Inside, they saw Teruteru, the only other one in there.

"Hey, Teruteru… Were you here in the kitchen when the lights went out?" Hajime questioned.

"I was quite shocked when that happened…At first, I thought the power outage was limited to the kitchen, but when I somehow managed to find my way out…The corridor was completely dark as well! But, I could hear everyone's voices, so I tried finding my way by clinging to the wall…And when I did, I saw it was dark in there as well… There was absolutely no light anywhere." Teruteru recounted.

"Couldn't you have used the kitchen range to get some light going?" Hajime suggested.

"No, that's impossible. It's a gas range, but it's controlled electronically so it was also affected by the outage." Teruteru replied.

"I see… so there really was nothing you could do." Hajime muttered. He looked around the kitchen to see if there was anything else important around. He noticed once more the various plates of food in the corner. His eyes fell upon the large meat on the bone he had seen last time.

"Isn't that amazing? A huge chunk of meat to amaze everyone!" Teruteru hummed as he noticed the look Hajime was giving, "A dish perfect for an island like this. You just can't get this kind of meat in urban Aoyama and Azabu. Nope! I grew up in Aoyama and Azabu, and there's no such meat there!"

"You don't have to repeat yourself – I get it. But… where did you get such a huge chunk of meat?"

"I had to ask Nekomaru to get it for me. I think he killed the cow at the farm with his bare hands."

"W…With his bare hands…?"

"That's an unbelievable story… but probably not an impossible one. I mean, that guy's hands look like they're specially made just to beat on things." Nagito mentioned.

"Well that's a kind of mean way to put it…" Mizuki muttered.

"Was it? I didn't mean it to be…" Nagito considered.

"Sure gives a feeling of wilderness, doesn't it? But, I am sometimes jealous of such rural lifestyles. After all, I grew up in Aoyama and Azabu, so I… don't really have much experience of that kind of thing." Teruteru changed the subject.

"It sure is a waste of meat, though. I mean… No one's going to want to eat anything now that such a terrible thing has happened…The only ones who even got to eat at all are Akane and… Peko, who took a portion with her." Nagito pointed out.

"Bah. Don't remind me…After preparing the world's tastiest party food, only two people got to taste it…" Teruteru huffed, "I still don't quite believe it, but if one of us really is the culprit…Grrrah! I will never forgive them for doing this to me!" Hajime backed up a bit, then his eyes falling on the kitchen equipment list. Nagito saw him looking at it, and went to look himself.

"As far as I can tell from this list…The knife we found next to Byakuya's body didn't come from this kitchen. It seems someone brought it in from outside." Nagito muttered.

"But… if that's the case, how did they get it past Byakuya?" Hajime questioned.

"That is strange… he didn't even spare the girls a full body check…" Nagito muttered.

"I can vouch for that…" Mizuki muttered, blushing lightly.

'… **In that case… perhaps they brought it in beforehand and hid it somewhere…?'** Hajime considered.

"Nevertheless… this is a surprisingly complete list, isn't it? There's even a barbecue griddle and a portable hot-pot stove in this kitchen." Nagito mentioned.

"Yeah! Me and Teruteru were surprised all of it was still here!" Mizuki confirmed. Hajime nodded, though there was a strange feeling in his gut, though he couldn't place it.

"But there isn't a single thing on it that seems like it could be connected to the case. We should move on." Hajime stated.

"…Yeah, I guess you're right." Nagito agreed.

"… We should get going." Hajime suggested.

"…Yeah, let's go." Nagito agreed. They left and went to the Storage closet next.

"Wow, it sure is dusty in here… and there's not much light, either." Hajime commented.

"I was so busy cleaning up the main hall that I just didn't have time to do this room as well…There are cobwebs everywhere… I don't think anyone could stay here for long." Nagito commented. Mizuki started to cough.

"Speaking of which, I think I'll wait for you guys outside…My asthma is not agreeing with this room…" Mizuki muttered, pulling her hoodie over her mouth. The other two nodded as she left and they investigated. They looked at the tablecloths on the shelves, nothing seeming out of place until they looked down at the laundry basket to see one shoved in.

"Take a look at this tablecloth… See what's on it?" Hajime questioned, pulling it out, "That's… blood, isn't it?!"

"…Eh? Blood?"

"Come here and look, that's clearly blood!"

"It's dark in here… I can't really tell."

"I…I'm sure that's what it is! It can't be anything else! And if that's blood… then this tablecloth must be connected to Byakuya's murder somehow!"

"If this tablecloth really has blood on it, then that is indeed a possibility."

"I'm telling you, it's blood!" They saw a large pile of boxes, though they decided to ignore them since it would take far too long to go through all of them anyways…And then…

"Hm? Are those irons?" Hajime wondered, "They don't seem to be plugged in, but why are there even three irons over here?"

"…That is weird, isn't it? When we went looking for Byakuya after the lights came back on, I found those irons here…But they were all plugged in and powered on." Nagito informed him.

"…They were powered on?"

"I thought it would be bad if we had another outage, so I unplugged them. But… doesn't it seem like someone did this deliberately?" After that, the two decided they'd found everything they could in the dark room, going out and seeing Mizuki before they continued on. Hajime saw the toilet and-considering that two people had already talked about it at least a little-decided to investigate. But upon wiggling the handle, it wouldn't open.

"Huh? It's locked." Hajime muttered.

"It seems someone's inside. It's a unisex toilet so it could be anyone…" Nagito commented, "Heeeey, is someone in there?!"

…

No response.

"No answer… That's not very considerate, is it?" Nagito huffed, crossing his arms.

"It's pretty rude to yell at someone on the toilet though when you think about it." Mizuki pointed out.

"…Let's give it up for now and come back to investigate later." Nagito replied.

"Yeah." The three of them decided to go to the office next since it was nearby.

"The circuit breakers for the old lodge should be in this office." Nagito mentioned.

"The breakers, huh…? They probably have something to do with the outage." Hajime guessed.

"We should go ahead and check them out first, then." Nagito recommended, them going over and looking up at him, "Hmmm… I can't see any signs they were tampered with. There's nothing suspicious about them, really…"

"Aren't they a little too high, though? I don't think any of us could reach them without standing up on something…" Hajime mentioned.

"Not even Nekomaru? He's pretty tall…But I'm pretty short so anyone taller than like 5'7" looks pretty tall to me…" Mizuki muttered.

"No, not even Nekomaru could reach that…" Nagito doubted, crossing his arms. Kazuichi came over, hearing the conversation, and crossed his arms.

"That's right… And that's not even the end of it…See, I was in a massive panic during that blackout, so I forgot to bring this up before, but…Well, it's like you said. No one can reach the breakers. Even if they stood on something. They're just too high up. So… what I mean is… Who flipped the breakers back on? And how'd they do it?" Kazuichi puzzled.

"I did it!" They heard, turning to see Monokuma standing there.

"…Whaaaaa! He's here!" Kazuichi exclaimed.

"You guys seemed to be tooooootally unable to handle that blackout, so I flipped the breakers back on for you. Ah, by the way - it wasn't me who tripped them in the first place. That was the culprit, of course." Monokuma told them.

"B…But… you're too small. How could you even reach the fuse box?" Hajime questioned.

"And how could you see it? It was pitch black in here!" Mizuki huffed, crossing her arms.

"First of all, my eyes have night-vision built in, so seeing in the darkness wasn't a problem for me. Then, as for how I could reach so high to flip the breakers on…I stretch. My entire torso stretches. I am a very elastic bear, you see." Monokuma told them with a gentle laugh.

"…T…That's clearly a lie!" Kazuichi accused.

"It's true! Do you want me to demonstrate? Do you want to see Monokuma's long torso version? It's gross and grotesque!"

"I… think we'll pass. Just thinking about that is… unpleasant." Nagito told him.

"Really? I think it would be kinda interesting…" Mizuki commented.

"No it wouldn't hush." Nagito scolded quietly, Mizuki pouting.

"Awww, too bad! Nevertheless, Monokuma is a very kind bear! If there was a popularity contest, I'd be the landslide winner!" Monokuma bragged before he left again.

"W…What the hell…? He was the one who brought the lights back on…? W…Well, I guess that's one mystery solved. I knew it wasn't possible for one of us to reach that high…" Kazuichi sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Hajime looked around and then saw Peko in the corner of the room, all of them walking over to her before she sighed, looking to them.

"I know what you are thinking. I am under heavy suspicion, am I not?"

"Eh?" Hajime questioned.

' **I didn't even say anything!'**

"It is unavoidable…There was an unexpected power outage, during which Byakuya was murdered…" Peko muttered, looking away, "Furthermore, the circuit breakers are here… and I was supposed to be here as well. It is only natural suspicion would turn to me."

"You were 'supposed to'…? Does that mean…?" Nagito trailed off.

"That's right! You weren't here when the lights came back on! I was looking for you! …Where were you? You were supposed to be guarding the breakers and the weapon case, right? And yet… you decided to just go who knows where without telling anyone…?" Kazuichi growled.

"Would you have rather guarded it?" Mizuki huffed, crossing her arms, not wanting him to berate Peko anymore, "After all, she sacrificed the fun of the party to guard this for us! If she left, I'm sure she had a good reason!"

"About that…" Peko started, before her eyes widened and she began to clutch her stomach, dropping to a knee, "…Uu! Gah… Kkkk…!"

"Peko!" Mizuki exclaimed, rushing to her side, "Are you okay?!"

"N…No… I am not… feeling too well… I'm sorry, but… Please excuse me…" Peko groaned, moving to leave before Kazuichi stood in her way.

"'Excuse you'…? The hell?" Kazuichi questioned suspiciously.

"Peko, it seems someone's using the one here in the lodge…I recommend heading straight to the hotel or to your cottage." Nagito told her.

"…Eh?" Hajime questioned, watching as Peko nodded.

"Ku… It appears I have… a painful road ahead of me…!" She moaned out, Mizuki staying by her side.

"Here Peko, I'll help you. You guys go on without me, I'll catch up later." Mizuki told them, slinging Peko's arm over her shoulder as the two quickly headed out.

"W…What's up with her…?" Hajime wondered, turning to Nagito since he seemed to know.

"Um… It would be rude for me to say anything. I have to think about Peko's feelings…"

"I see what's going on here. She just ran away from us, didn't she? Which means she must be the culprit! I'm pretty sure about that!" Kazuichi accused.

"…Why do you think so?" Hajime questioned.

"Well, she was supposed to be here. And she wasn't. I mean, right after the blackout I was in this room when the lights came on-which is a little weird cause I didn't see Monokuma either, but if he really was all stretched out I'm glad-And she already wasn't here. But when we were all looking for Byakuya I came back, and she STILL wasn't here." Kazuichi counted off, "Well, I wouldn't want Sonia getting mad at me, so you didn't hear this from me, but…I think Peko flipped the breakers, and then used the darkness to go and murder Byakuya. Also, don't you think her face's always too calm? She looks just like an assassin, doesn't she?"

' **Well, it's not like you have such an inviting face yourself…'** Hajime looked around before his eyes fell onto the air conditioner that was in there as well, walking over and looking at it. It was set for the same time as the other one…11:30…

"This… can't be a coincidence." He muttered. He looked around again, eyes then falling on the Duralumin case.

"Shouldn't we check inside… just in case?" Nagito suggested, "You have the key still, right?"

"Oh, yeah. I figured we should take it so we could look inside this thing…Make sure nothing was taken when Byakuya wasn't looking…" Hajime took out the key and kneeled down, unlocking the case and opening it with a click before they both looked inside.

"Forks and knives… some skewers and a wrench. Everything is stuffed inside that little box…But… I don't think the culprit had any way to get something out of this case. I mean, it was definitely still locked, and the key to open it was still inside the other case. The one Byakuya was holding." Nagito considered. Hajime gave a nod.

"I think that's about everything in here…Where next?" Hajime wondered.

"I have an idea. Why don't we go take a look at Byakuya's cottage?" Nagito suggested.

"Byakuya's cottage…?"

"I think we might find a clue there… it wouldn't hurt looking, in any case. It's just that…I'm afraid of going alone. It might turn out dangerous." Nagito muttered.

"I don't really mind coming along with you, but…Aren't you worried the danger might turn out to be me?" Hajime questioned.

"…You mean, why aren't I afraid it might be you who's the culprit, Hajime? To tell you the truth, it hasn't even crossed my mind. Or, maybe I should say, I don't want it to. I mean… If surviving means I have to suspect my friends, I'd rather die trusting them." Nagito told him sincerely.

"Don't say that… How's dying going to help you? Aren't we doing this in order to survive in the first place?" Hajime scolded.

"That's just like you, Hajime… You really are strong. As expected from someone chosen to attend Hope's Peak Academy." Nagito sighed, then smiling, "So, let's go! Straight to Byakuya's cottage!"

"Y…Yeah…" Hajime stuttered out. The two left the office and went to go to Byakuya's cottage, but were greeted with an odd sight, Chiaki, Biyuki, and Gundham together trying to peer underneath the house through the wood grating.

"…Hey, what are you guys doing?" Hajime questioned.

"'What are we doing'? Ha! A question fit for an imbecile!" Gundham announced.

"Um… We are checking if there is a way to get under the floor from here." Chiaki answered.

"I personally think we should just break the wooden grating…If the place is under reconstruction anyways they're probably planning to replace it." Biyuki muttered, looking along the grating for weak points in the wood.

"I don't think that's a good idea Biyuki…What are you all trying to get under the floor for anyways?" Hajime wondered.

"They thought it impossible. They judged it useless. But who are they to decide? That earring… must be returned to me, whatever the cost!" Gundham demanded.

"And I have a feeling… that the truth behind this murder hinges on whether the space under the floor is accessible or not. And that's why… it is necessary to investigate that. I think." Chiaki mumbled.

"I got bored sitting around doing nothing without Mizuki, and these are the only two people besides her that don't seem to suspect me of killing Byakuya, so I'm chilling with them." Biyuki replied with a shrug, "Also, I'm pretty sure I told you all to call me Yanii from now on."

"I see… the space under the floor. I'm ashamed to say I didn't notice it myself until now." Nagito muttered, thoughtfully holding his chin.

"…What do you mean?" Hajime questioned.

"Try to recall the scene. The carpet didn't reach the floor under the table, where we found Byakuya's body. And that's not all – the wooden floor at the hall had gaps between the boards, right?" Nagito recalled.

"You're not… are you saying the culprit could have stabbed Byakuya from under the floor?!" Hajime exclaimed.

"I thought so too, so I decided to check if someone could enter that space from over here…" Chiaki muttered.

"…And? Did you find anything?" Hajime inquired.

"No. I think it's impossible to reach that space from outside the lodge. There's a remarkably sturdy fence surrounding the space under the floor on all sides." Chiaki replied.

"We'll see how sturdy it really is…YA!" Biyuki kicked it then hopped around on one foot, holding her own, "OW, ow, Okay, yeah, sturdy." Biyuki agreed.

"And besides that, if someone had managed to break it down we would have seen a hole…" Chiaki mumbled thoughtfully.

"It's also inaccessible from inside. I haven't seen anywhere you could get under the floor from…" Nagito mentioned.

"But… maybe there's some kind of a hidden door somewhere?" Hajime suggested.

"No, I don't think so." Nagito replied.

"R…Really?" Hajime questioned.

"In any case, it seems it's impossible to access that space from outside. I'm quite relieved, actually." Nagito sighed happily.

"Relieved? Why?"

"Because… if it were possible to enter that space from the outside, that would make one person seem very suspicious, wouldn't it? The one person who wasn't at the party and has no alibi…" Nagito muttered out.

"Oh, I get it… Fuyuhiko."

"Actually… I had the same suspicion. That's why I decided to check if one could enter that space from the outside." Chiaki admitted, "By the way… A short while after I first came here to guard against Monokuma…Fuyuhiko passed by the area."

"…Eh? He did?"

 _Chiaki was standing at the entrance when she noticed Fuyuhiko passing by._

 _"…Huh? Why are you here, Fuyuhiko?" She questioned, surprising Fuyuhiko as he jumped, but almost immediately regained himself._

 _"I…I could ask you the same question… Why the hell are you standing here all by yourself…?" Fuyuhiko retorted._

 _"I'm on guard. I'm keeping Monokuma out of the party." Chiaki answered._

 _"Heh… Must be a pain…" Fuyuhiko muttered._

 _"….Why don't you join the party, Fuyuhiko?" Chiaki suggested._

 _"I wouldn't join your stupid housewarming if you paid me… You morons make me want to puke." Fuyuhiko scoffed._

 _"…Perhaps you actually do want to join the party… Is that why you came by?" Chiaki inquired._

 _"N…No way! I was just taking a damn walk! Do I have to give an advance notice every time I want to take a fucking walk?!" Fuyuhiko yelled, a blush rising to his cheeks._

 _"No. That's not what I was saying…"_

 _"Then get off my case." He huffed, storming off._

"After that, he went away." Chiaki finished her story.

"So you saw him… But, why did he come by the lodge…?" Hajime questioned.

"…I think he really did want to join the group, but just couldn't bring himself to admit it…He thinks he's surrounded by people who are too different from himself… and that's why he's always alone." Chiaki told them, "…Do you know the title of the RPG whose protagonist is just like that?"

"Wait, since when is this conversation about games?!" Hajime questioned.

"No one knows what's on his mind but him… but we don't have any real reason to suspect him. That's great. I'm relieved."

"How can you keep saying things are great? We still have no clue who the culprit is." Hajime sighed.

"…Well… for the time being let's go visit Byakuya's cottage, like we planned." Nagito avoided the question.

"Slim odds will not dissuade one such as I…I will show you all… the Devildog Earring will be mine once more!" Gundham announced, then turning to Biyuki and Chiaki, "Should you still wish to help foolish mortals, I am taking my leave."

"Eh, why not? Got nothing better to do." Biyuki replied with a smile, following Gundham as he went inside.

"I think I'll keep looking out here for a while." Chiaki responded.

'… **The murder investigation really does mean nothing to him, doesn't it?'** Hajime thought before he and Nagito began to walk towards Byakuya's cottage, before they ran into Fuyuhiko.

"…What? I told you to stay away, didn't I?" Fuyuhiko huffed.

"We can't have that right now. You've heard Monokuma's announcement, right?" Hajime told him.

"Of course I did… It seems Byakuya got himself killed…But, why should I give a damn?"

"W…What did you say…?" Hajime stuttered.

"Do you think I did it? Think whatever you want… I'm used to being suspected."

"T…That's not it…" Hajime stuttered out before Mizuki hopped up.

"There you guys are!~ I was looking all over for you!" She chirped happily, then turning and smiling at Fuyuhiko, "Oh, you're here too Fuyuhiko!~"

"Tch, what, you've got her with you? What kinda Scooby Doo operation are you running?" Fuyuhiko huffed, crossing his arms.

"Y'know, I have considered cosplaying Velma, but why does me being here make anything different?" Mizuki questioned, her smile waving and almost looking a tad hurt.

"You're a push over, there's no way you're gonna be able to do anything!" Fuyuhiko taunted. Mizuki frowned, walking closer to him until she was uncomfortably close, maybe an inch from his face and fixing him with serious eyes.

"…You should know…Being kind, doesn't make me a push over. It means I'm WILLING to bend for others." Mizuki told him, Fuyuhiko blinking at the sudden change in atmosphere from her way of acting before the smile retook her face and she poked his nose, "Boop~" Fuyuhiko blinked then rolled his eyes.

"Riiigggghhhhtttt, I'll keep that in mind." He grumbled, "Now back off will ya?"

"Okay Fuyuhiko~" She hummed, backing up.

"Anyways…just to be sure, can you tell us what you did when the party took place?" Hajime requested.

"…Feh. An alibi check, is it? I don't have one…I've been alone in my cottage the entire time." Fuyuhiko huffed.

"…The entire time? But…Chiaki said she met you in front of the lodge?"

"Feh. Fuckin' details…! Yes, I went for a damn walk. And I happened to pass by the lodge."

"Was that really just a walk? Maybe you thought you might join the party…?"

"F…For the last fuckin' time, it was a fuckin' accident!"

"Okay, okay…"

"But, if you did want to come in, you should have come! It would have been fun to see ya…" Mizuki told him with a soft smile.

"I didn't and I don't! So drop it!" He growled before running off to his cottage. Mizuki sighed but looked after him, a look in her eyes Hajime couldn't quite place.

"…Anyways, we should head off to Byakuya's Cottage." Nagito replied, all of them walking off. They arrived at the cottage, Hajime reaching out to open the door, but the handle just rattling back and forth.

"Huh? It seems the door is locked." Hajime commented.

"In that case… we have to ask him to do something about it…" Nagito muttered, taking a deep breath, "Heeeey, Monokuma!" It wasn't even a second before Monokuma was there.

"Did someone call?!" Monokuma asked. Mizuki crossed her arms, glaring at him.

"Did you really have to call HIM?!" She grumbled.

"N…Nagito… Since when do you have him under control…?"

"Hey, Monokuma. We have a request for you. There's something we want to investigate. Can you open Byakuya's cottage for us? If we don't investigate this place properly, the school trial can't proceed properly. It's necessary." Nagito told him.

"Necessary… for the school trial, you say? Hmm… if it's necessary for the school trial, how can I refuse? Here we go! A magical incantation that opens any door!" Monokuma announced, turning the door and yelling: Open Sesame!" they heard the click of the lock before he turned back to them, "There. It's open. Go ahead and investigate to your heart's content!" And then he left without another word.

"…Open Sesame…? What a cliché…" Mizuki muttered, shaking her head.

"…Did it really… open by incantation?" Hajime questioned.

"It's probably an electronic lock. He was just doing a stupid act." Nagito replied.

"Y…Yeah… Well, let's go in." Hajime told him.

"Yeah, let's." They looked around, the place feeling surprisingly cold and empty without Byakuya's presence...Mizuki crawled under the bed to look as the other two looked around the room, Hajime coming across an envelope on top of the table.

"This looks like… a letter addressed to Byakuya…?" Hajime muttered, Nagito walking over as Mizuki popped back out from under the bed, coming over as well.

"The sender's name isn't on it… This is a little suspicious…Hajime… I think we should check what's inside." Nagito suggested.

"Yeah, you're right…" Hajime agreed.

"Are you sure? What if it's something embarrassing that doesn't have to do with the case…?" Mizuki worried.

"Well, then we'll just pretend we didn't see it." Hajime replied, opening it up and pulling out the contents, "Um…Eh?" Mizuki looked at the letter and read it off.

"'Watch out. The first murder will occur tonight. It is inevitable.'" She read.

"T…That's…!" Hajime stuttered.

"I…Is this… an advance notice of a crime?" Mizuki worried.

"No… it says 'watch out', so it's probably a threat…" Nagito replied.

"W…Whatever it is, who the hell sent it?!" Hajime freaked.

"I see… Perhaps…Perhaps this is the reason Byakuya announced a party so suddenly…" Nagito suggested.

"…Eh?" Hajime and Mizuki said at the same time.

"'The first murder will occur tonight'. Byakuya received this threatening letter, and…And that's why he gathered everyone in one place, and was obsessive about confiscating dangerous items. He thought that, by doing all that, he could create a situation where we were all watching each other. He thought a culprit won't be able to kill anyone under these circumstances…" Nagito explained, Mizuki's face falling as she wrapped a hand around her fist and brought them to her chest.

"Oh Byakuya…You just wanted to protect us all…"

"So… you think he believed this dubious letter?" Hajime questioned.

"He didn't want to take any chances… He couldn't just ignore the possibility the letter was real. Don't you remember what he said? He promised us there wouldn't be even a single victim." Nagito retorted.

"He wanted to keep this promise… and so he didn't want to take any chances…? But… why did he keep it a secret? He should've just discussed it with us…" Hajime suggested.

"I don't think he could have… Think of the worst possible scenario…" Nagito replied.

"…What do you mean?"

"If he told everyone about this letter, it wouldn't matter if it's real or fake…Everyone would just turn paranoid again, and that's not easily amendable." Nagito muttered.

"S…So…Byakuya decided to handle it himself, without telling anyone?" Mizuki sniffled.

"He had a strong sense of responsibility… that's the way I see it." Nagito answered.

"…A…Anyway…Do you agree that whoever sent this letter is also the culprit who killed him?" Hajime wondered.

"No… it's still possible this letter is just a prank… that this has nothing to do with Byakuya's death…" Nagito refuted. The room was dead silent, all three thinking solemnly before Nagito spoke up again.

"…There's probably not much time left until the school trial begins."

"Yeah…" Hajime agreed, Mizuki staying silent.

"…Ah! That reminds me. Didn't you ask Mahiru to do something for you?" Nagito recalled.

"Y…Yeah… She's supposed to figure out where everyone was standing right before the power outage…" Hajime confirmed, "She's probably done by now. You're both coming with me, right?"

"…I'm sorry… I'll leave that to you two." Nagito replied.

"Eh…?"

"I want to… put my thoughts in order. I need some time alone." Nagito clarified.

"O…Okay… got it." Hajime muttered as Nagito walked towards the door, stopping and looking over his shoulder before he left.

"Oh, and if you're going back to the lodge, you should probably talk to Mikan again, too. I think she's probably also done with whatever examination she could make of the body." Nagito recommended, "So… see you later." And with that, Nagito left. Hajime turned to Mizuki.

"You're still coming, right…?" Hajime inquired. Mizuki nodded slowly.

"…Hey, um, it's okay if you aren't up for it…"

"No, I'll be alright." Mizuki insisted, "I have to be…Although…Do you think Nagito will be alright? He didn't look well when he went off to think…"

"You're right…He did look pretty pale…But I think that's something we'll just have to trust him on for now." Hajime replied. Mizuki nodded.

"I suppose you're right…Well then, I guess we should head over to the lodge." Mizuki stated, puffing out her chest as she obviously was trying to look more ready than she was, but Hajime had a feeling she wouldn't take some time to breathe no matter what he said, and they really didn't have time to argue anyways.

"Alright then, let's go." He agreed, the two walking out and towards the lodge. The second they walked in, there was a loud laugh echoing through the lodge.

"GAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"…Whoa!" Hajime exclaimed, hands flying to his ears, Mizuki tilting her head.

"Who would be laughing at a time like this…?" She questioned, the two walking forward before spotting Nekomaru grinning widely and talking aloud.

"Ah, truly a refreshing feeling…" He muttered, noticing as the two walked up, "How about it? Nekomaru Nidai is back to life! I shall not be beaten anymore!"

"…Beaten by whom?" Hajime questioned with a raised brow.

"Anyone. Not even my past self!" Nekomaru countered.

"Not that you don't sound impressive or anything, but… What the hell are you talking about?" Hajime wondered.

"I'm talking about SHIIIIIIIIIIT!" Nekomaru exclaimed loudly.

"Whoa!" Hajime cried out as he covered his ears.

"That's right…Right before the blackout and after while we were all investigating you needed to go to the bathroom, but someone was in there, right?" Mizuki recalled.

"Correct…Ku… I don't know whose ploy it was to disgrace me by trying to make me dirty my pants…But since just before the party started, some miscreant has been exclusively occupying the toilet." Nekomaru grumbled, "But, if they had thought their paltry effort would shake me, they greatly underestimated my guts and my perseverance. One must do everything swiftly and without losing composure. That's the quality of a true champion! In other words, to be top on the leaderboard, one must remain composed at all times!"

"…That was composed?" Mizuki questioned with a raised brow. Hajime decided to speak up before Nekomaru could react to that to try and save Mizuki a lecture.

"Anyway… so the toilet was closed since the party began. When was it free again?" Hajime wondered.

"It was finally free after we found Byakuya's body…And that's how I came to relieve myself." Nekomaru recalled.

"Alright then…We'll keep that in mind." Hajime told him before starting towards the hall again, Mizuki following not far behind. When they first arrived inside, the first person to notice and speak to them was Chiaki.

"…Hmmm… It seems there isn't anywhere inside the lodge where you can get under the floor. At least, not that I can see." Chiaki told them.

"Well, if I know him and Biyuki, they won't stop looking until they've either found one or made one…" Hajime muttered, but before he could say anything else Mahiru grabbed his shoulder and whirled him around.

"Hey! You're late! What did you do, crawl here?" Mahiru scolded/

"I wasn't crawling… there was just a lot to investigate, and I had to do it at my own pace." Hajime defended.

"Is that so? Well, as long as you were taking the job seriously, I guess its okay…" Mahiru huffed.

"So… what about you?" Hajime inquired.

"Yeah, about that…"

"…You don't sound too sure of yourself."

"Well, here - take a look." Mahiru instructed, taking a piece of paper and moving to show it to Hajime, Mizuki peaking over their shoulders, "See, like we discussed, I studied the two photos I took just before the blackout…and tried to judge where everyone was standing. See? I made this map. So this is everyone's positions before the blackout…most of us are in the big hall, but that was to be expected. I drew this based on the photos, so most of it should be spot on." As Hajime looked at it, he noticed that there were three names in the places they should have been, Teruteru, Chiaki, and Peko, that could not be confirmed for sure with the pictures, locations of everyone in the room that were fairly accurate, but something seemed wrong…Though first he turned his eyes to Byakuya's supposed position.

"So Byakuya really was standing pretty far away from that table…" Hajime muttered, "It doesn't seem plausible for him to have moved that far in pitch darkness…" Then he noticed something else, "Huh? What's this? There's a line stretching from the table we found Byakuya under."

"Um… it's the tabletop lamp. I drew its cord, just in case it would be useful. I wanted to be thorough after all…" Mikan replied, "But there is one thing that really bugs me…"

"What?"

"From the pictures I took right before the blackout, I have no idea where Biyuki was. She's the only one besides Fuyuhiko that I've got no idea for." Mahiru muttered. Hajime's eyes widened. That's what had looked so odd! Biyuki hadn't been on the map!

"…Come to think of it, Biyuki left not long before the blackout, didn't she…?" Hajime considered.

"Oh! Don't worry! She went to the bathroom!" Mizuki chirped, "She told me before she left!"

'… **The bathroom…? Something about that doesn't seem quite right…'** Hajime thought, but Mahiru marked it down anyways.

"Alright then, if she was in the bathroom, then that's our map." Mahiru finalized, "…So, was that of any help?"

"Hmm… I still can't say for sure…" Hajime muttered.

"I thought so… I drew it myself and I can't tell anything from it…I have a feeling there's some clue hidden in there… but also that I may have worked for nothing…"

"No, I don't think it was for nothing." Hajime assured.

"…Eh?"

"I'm not certain yet, but I have a feeling this map can tell us something." Hajime muttered, "If you'll excuse me though, I need to go talk to Mikan." Mahiru nodded, Mizuki following suit as the two walked to her. Upon seeing them walking towards her, Mikan immediately came over and began to talk.

"Um… if you don't mind, can I please discuss something with you?" She requested.

"Do you have any new information?" Hajime wondered.

"Um… I examined Byakuya's body the best I could under the circumstances…A…And… I found many stab wounds on Byakuya's chest and abdomen…" Mikan reported, eyes darting between him and Mizuki, "T…The weapon… also pierced the lungs and the internal organs… and…Sniff… it was probably a thin sharp implement, about 5 millimeters in diameter… and…I…I…I think h…he was stabbed… again and again… and…Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Hajime and Mizuki jumped when Mikan began to cry.

"H…Hey, are you alright?" Hajime wondered, Mizuki moving to her side and rubbing her back to comfort her.

"I'm sorry…! Talking about it made me feel so sad!" Mikan sniffled.

"T…Take it easy. I think I got most of what you were trying to say…" Hajime comforted.

"U…Uuuu… I…I'm sorry…!" Mikan apologized.

"It's okay darling, you did a wonderful job!" Mizuki assured her.

' **5 millimeters in diameter, she said…'** Hajime thought, **'But, isn't that very thin? That's like… an icepick or an awl or something…'** just as Hajime finished that thought, a sound like a school bell rang out, everyone turning to the monitors as they began to broadcast Monokuma.

"It's time! That's right! It's time for our long-awaited school trial! I will now announce the meeting place." Monokuma instructed, "On the central island here in Jabberwock, there is a mountain with my cute face carved on it. Its name is 'Monokuma Rock'! Please proceed to the underground elevator, accessible from a hidden secret entrance on that mountain. Upupu, see you later!" They all watched as the monitors went blank, puzzling.

"I don't think I saw that the last time I looked…" Mahiru muttered.

"…At any rate, doesn't seem like there's any choice but to go look for it now." Hajime replied, turning, "Let's get going." Everyone nodded, though they looked at Byakuya's body once more before leaving, various expressions on everyone's faces.

Surprisingly, it wasn't long before they all found it, puzzling as everyone was sure that it had NOT been there before, except for Mizuki and Biyuki who had not exactly gone exploring since they'd arrived.

"…Huh? Hey, where'd this mountain come from?! I…It wasn't here before!" Kazuichi stuttered out.

"It seems… that the hypothesis we discussed before is true." Peko muttered, crossing her arms, "About the possibility of a 'powerful organization' being involved here. There is no other way such a feet could be accomplished."

"That's… what Byakuya said, isn't it?" Hajime recalled.

"Byakuya… We require still his wisdom and guidance… but he…" Sonia stated a tad shakily.

"Ku… It's still difficult to believe that he really is dead!" Nekomaru solemnly thought.

"Byakuya-chan Byakuya-chan Byakuya-chan Byakuya-chan Byakuya-chan…" Ibuki repeated, practically foaming at the mouth.

"…By the way… where are Gundham, Biyuki, and Fuyuhiko?" Chiaki questioned.

"N…Now that you mention it… it seems they aren't here yet…"Mikan agreed, looking around.

"We saw Fuyuhiko run into his cabin, but I doubt he wouldn't have come…" Mizuki considered, "And knowing I was coming I can't think that Biyuki wouldn't show up to try and ensure my safety…Though I don't know much about Gundham yet…"

"Ah! I know! They all ran away!" Hiyoko giggled.

"Oh, that won't do! No one can escape me, after all! By which I mean to say… Look! I brought him with me!" Monokuma chirped, appearing out of nowhere with an angry Fuyuhiko.

"L…Let me go!" Fuyuhiko demanded.

"Hey, hey! If you keep struggling, I'm going to bite your legs off!"

"Fuyuhiko! Where have you been until now?!" Mahiru scolded.

"Nowhere in particular, not that it's any of your fucking business. There I was, in my room, when all of a sudden I hear that Byakuya's gone and gotten himself killed…Feh… The fuck does this even have to do with me?" Fuyuhiko muttered.

"How can you even say such irresponsible things…?" Mahiru growled, "The rest of us have been working our asses off investigating so we can get through this! None of us wanted to, but we did it anyway!"

"Mahiru… we shouldn't fight…Fuyuhiko, you too…" Nagito muttered.

"And besides, it's pretty obvious what it has to do with you Fuyuhiko." Mizuki replied.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Fuyuhiko demanded, "If you're going to accuse me of being the killer already, than-!"

"Nope, not gonna do that."

"Then what does this have to do with me?!"

"Well, if the wrong person is voted guilty, it's not just those present that will die…You will too." Mizuki said simply, Fuyuhiko taken aback by this, "So, what it has to do with you…Is that your life is at stake. Just like ours." Fuyuhiko stared at her for a moment before scoffing and looking away, crossing his arms.

"Feh… Retards…! Dragging me into this…"

"…All that's left now is Gundham and Biyuki, right?" Akane commented.

"…Seek not Gundham Tanaka… for he shall seek you, if you are worthy!"

"Also, I'm getting annoyed with you all still calling me Biyuki when I specifically told you you should call me Yanii from now on." Everyone turned as they saw the two walk up, Gundham speaking again before anyone could react.

"Would you have me make my entrance early, when there are those not present to bear witness?!"

' **Oh, for the love of-…Huh?'** Hajime considered, as he noticed something different about Gundham from the last time he'd seen him…His earring, it seemed to be back.

"…You seem to have noticed too, Hajime." Nagito commented.

"Muaaahahahaha!" Gundham laughed loudly.

"Yeah, I noticed." Hajime confirmed.

"Well, then. It seems everyone is finally here. It's time to use the 'secret entrance' and head to the courtroom!" Monokuma announced.

"W…Wait a minute, please!" Monomi plead as she appeared suddenly.

"…Oh? Monomi? Why are you here? No one asked for you, you know?" Monokuma replied, tilting his head.

"I…I…!"

"Hm? Do you want in on the fun too? Unbelievable. You actually want to put your incompetence on display at the school trial? I didn't think you'd take the M in 'Mascot' so seriously…" Monokuma muttered, " But who am I to refuse? I'm a very considerate big brother, so I'll give you special permission to participate!" Monomi was silent, looking at him furiously before Monokuma responded, "Well, then. I'm going up ahead. Don't keep me waiting!" And with that, he was gone.

"S…So… Where exactly are we supposed to go now? I can't see a door or a vehicle anywhere…" Teruteru pointed out.

"He said there was a hidden entrance somewhere, didn't he?" Mahiru commented, looking around. They all looked around, before Hajime noticed a bit of rock that seemed different, pressing it before the whole world seemed to shake.

"W…What's going on?! Something's shaking!" Hajime exclaimed.

"I…It's dangerous, everyone! Please take cover!" Monomi recommended. Just then, one of the Monokuma's mouths opened and out came an escalator, moving towards the top as everyone stared in awe and terror.

"S…Something came out of that mountain!" Mikan stuttered out.

"Don't tell me… this is how we're supposed to enter?" Peko guessed.

"W…What is this ominous aura…?! It threatens to engulf even 'Steel Red Elephant' Maga-Z…!" Gundham worried.

"Wow! This sure is weird and mysterious!" Hiyoko commented.

"G…Gimme a break…! Seriously, gimme a break, will you…!" Kazuichi panicked.

"C'mon, guys, enough is enough… There isn't a shred of reality left in this place, is there? I mean…It's impossible! How can a bunch of kids like us catch a culprit?!" Teruteru questioned.

"N…Not by endlessly complaining, that's for sure! You should act more like a man!" Mahiru scolded, "W…We came this far… We can only brace ourselves and keep going…"

"Yeah… It's not exactly like we can run away, is it? We have no choice but to keep going…" Hajime agreed.

"If everyone's mind is set… I'll try doing my best as well. This game's difficulty level is high… but I'm sure we can clear it together." Chiaki motivated.

"I don't know what we'll find when we go up there…But whatever it is, I know we can do our best to find out what happened! I'll do my best to help protect everyone!" Mizuki stated surely. Hajime slowly stepped onto the escalator, legs shaking as he let it take him up, one by one everyone following suit. And once everyone was inside…The escalator retracted behind them, and they found themselves in an elevator, beginning to descend.

"This is… an elevator!" Nekomaru stated, "I see… So this entire mountain just became an elevator!"

"That Monokuma… doing whatever he wants again…" Chiaki sighed.

"But… he went to the trouble of building all of that… Just how intent is he on toying with us?" Peko wondered.

"We've been going down for a while now. This is just excessively deep, isn't it?" Akane commented.

"Yeah, sure is…" Hajime agreed. As the noise of the elevator rang in their ears, everyone stiff and on edge, they felt it slowly go deeper before it started to slow, and slow, before…it stopped.

And the elevator doors slowly creaked open.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi! I'm so happy with the attention this story is getting! I love the fact that you guys like it! I hope that I can get some reviews from you all very soon, I would love to hear your thoughts on the story! Thank you all very much, and I hope that you enjoy the story!**

 **Chapter 4**

When the doors slid open and everyone stepped out, their eyes were filled with the sight of the ridiculously bright court room, with podiums all in a circle surrounding one another, exactly 18 of them, though one was already occupied…With a picture of Byakuya on a stand that had been crossed out.

"Welcome, one and all!" Monokuma greeted as he appeared from nowhere, "So, what do you think? This is our school court! The special place where you bastards' fate will be decided!"

"Feh, what the fuck…?! Now you're going to lock us in this vulgar place…?!" Fuyuhiko complained, "You're mad! Stop fucking with me, shithead!"

"Upupu… Go ahead, say whatever's on your mind! I'm used to complaints. But, let's not waste any more time and electricity! Go stand in front of the podium with your name on it!" Monokuma instructed. There seemed to be no more arguments against him as everyone did as he said, whether from fear of what he would do if they disobeyed, or the tiredness of the late night and the events that had transpired weighing on them, no one could say. But nonetheless, everyone moved into place, ready to begin the trial.

"Before we begin, let me explain the rules of the school trial in simple terms. Your task is to reason out the identity of the culprit, and vote on who to accuse! Should you correctly identify the culprit, they alone shall be punished! But if you vote for the wrong person…Then everyone except the culprit shall be punished, and the culprit shall be given permission to leave the island!" Monokuma once again explained to them all.

"Those rules are too cruel…!" Monomi complained, tied up from the ceiling beside Monokuma's ridiculously large throne overlooking them all.

"…Before we begin, there is one thing I want to confirm. Is the culprit really one of us?" Nagito questioned.

"Of course they are… Our murderous culprit is definitely one of you. It truly is a sad tale, isn't it?" Monokuma sighed, "By the way, this school trial is 100% fair and square, so please relax. After Monomi, favoritism and injustice are the things I hate the most!"

"You really hate me that much?!"

"Well, then, let's begin!" Monokuma decided.

"Y…You say we should begin… but, what exactly are we supposed to do?" Mikan stuttered out.

"How 'bout we quit fussing around and just decide with our fists?!" Akane suggested.

"You even listen to the rules?!" Kazuichi questioned.

"That moron Byakuya was killed in the big hall, wasn't he? In that case, the people in there with him are the most suspicious ones." Fuyuhiko stated, crossing his arms.

"Sure, sure. All you want to say is that you're not the culprit, right?" Mahiru huffed.

"Of course. It's you who started this mutual killing business… It's nothing to do with me." Fuyuhiko grumbled, though catching sight of Mizuki sighed, "At least, the actual KILLING has nothing to do with me."

"Huh? What the…?" Mahiru growled.

"A…Anyway… How about we discuss the most interesting fact first?" Nagito suggested.

"Eh? What do you mean, 'most interesting fact'…?" Teruteru questioned.

"The location of the body… It's strange that we found it under that table." Nagito muttered.

"I don't think that's the most interesting fact, but it's a place to start, and we definitely need one." Mizuki replied.

"So… should we begin with that mystery?" Chiaki wondered.

"We'll start there then…" Hajime agreed.

"How did Byakuya's body…end up under that table?" Nagito questioned.

"It was the table set deepest inside the hall…and he was under it." Gundham recalled.

"Maybe after the culprit killed Byakuya…They moved the body over there?" Kazuichi suggested.

"Don't you think it's odd to suggest that the body was moved?" Hajime retorted.

"…Huh? Why?" Kazuichi puzzled.

"Um, I want you to try and remember the state of things under the table when we found the body…There was a large amount of blood there, but no blood trails that would suggest the body had been moved." Nagito explained.

"So, it's improbable that the culprit moved the body… I see! That makes sense!" Mahiru agreed.

"Gaaah! And I was so sure I was onto something!" Kazuichi grumbled.

"So you're an idiot as well as unattractive and bland! Is there any reason for you to go on living?" Hiyoko questioned.

"I…I'm the type of guy who thrives on praise!"

"But, if the culprit didn't carry it there, like, why was the body under the table?" Ibuki wondered.

"That was probably… the place he was killed." Hajime replied.

"Wha…! Are you saying the murder took place under a table?!" Nekomaru exclaimed.

"Byakuya crawled under the table for some reason, and that's where the culprit got to him…And that's the reason his body was left there. It makes sense, doesn't it?" Nagito pointed out.

"Well, kind of…Though I don't know how well that would match with his stab wounds…" Biyuki muttered, everyone turning to her, "I got a good look at him, and I know a thing or two about stab wounds. There wasn't a lot of room under that table, and the way it looked like he was stabbed was in the chest. But if Byakuya had got up on his knees under the table…Wouldn't it have flipped?"

"It's possible they reached under him with the knife and stabbed up, is it not?" Peko questioned.

"I suppose…Though I think it's a bit of a long shot they could do so so effectively and so many times at such an angle…" Biyuki replied thoughtfully.

"Before we get into any of that…what was Byakuya doing hiding under a table in the first place?" Sonia wondered.

"He must've wanted to jump out and surprise us all. He sure was a joker, that Byakuya!" Akane chuckled.

"What?! No he wasn't! You been paying attention at all?!" Kazuichi berated.

"Hmmm… Maybe he panicked when the lights went out, and went under the table to hide…" Teruteru suggested.

"This is not an earthquake! There's no reason to hit the floor when the power goes out!" Nekomaru argued.

"The reason… must be connected to Byakuya's actions during the party, right?" Nagito suggested. Hajime thought about it.

"The reason Byakuya was crawling under the table…If it's connected to what he did during the party…It must have something to do with the knife that we found under the table." Hajime determined.

"By 'knife'… you mean that thing that makes you want to scream 'that's the murder weapon!', right?" Ibuki chirped.

"Byakuya probably noticed that there was a knife hidden there…So he crawled under the table on purpose, in order to retrieve it." Hajime decided.

"Byakuya was indeed sensitive to dangerous items, so I cannot deny that possibility, but…How was it that he became aware of a knife hidden under a table?" Gundham questioned.

"He can't have known about it before… If he had, he'd have done something about it earlier." Mahiru considered.

"In that case… What if he didn't know about it ahead of time, but noticed it for the first time right there and then…? For example, if he saw someone going under the table in order to retrieve the hidden knife…" Chiaki suggested.

"No, that is impossible." Peko denied.

"Oh? You sound extremely confident." Nekomaru replied.

"Of course. The facts support my claim." Peko declared, crossing her arms.

"Upupu! This is getting exciting!" Monokuma laughed.

"When Byakuya crawled under the table…it was right in the middle of the power outage." Peko stated solemnly.

"That much is beyond doubt!" Sonia agreed.

"And that means…That while the lights were out…Mr. Porkfeet saw the culprit going for the knife?" Hiyoko puzzled.

"It was pitch black during that blackout!" Ibuki pointed out.

"It was so dark I couldn't even see the food in front of me!" Akane agreed.

"No one could see anything, and that includes Byakuya. It is impossible for him to have seen the culprit." Peko determined.

"No that's wrong." Hajime corrected, "No, Byakuya could see what was going on."

"…And why was he the only one who could see?" Peko questioned skeptically.

"There was a set of night-vision goggles under the table. If Byakuya used them, he would be able to see during the blackout." Hajime explained.

"So, are you saying it was Byakuya who used the goggles?" Peko wondered.

"…Yeah, it appears so." Hajime answered.

"THAT REASONING IS FLAWED!" Mahiru argued, "No, that's clearly wrong, isn't it?! It's obviously just the opposite!"

"T…The opposite…?" Hajime stuttered, alarmed by Mahiru's outburst.

"I mean, it's obvious it was the culprit, not Byakuya, who used those goggles! If we think about this rationally…It must've been the culprit who used the night-vision goggles! I'm telling you, that much should be obvious!" Mahiru huffed.

"What's your evidence it was the culprit who used them?" Hajime questioned.

"I mean, wearing those goggles…Is the only way someone could kill Byakuya in complete darkness! I'm sure… that's what really happened here…Anyway, in order to do that…It was the culprit who brought those goggles to the scene!" Mahiru asserted.

"No, the person who brought those goggles to the lodge was, undoubtedly, the victim -Byakuya." Hajime shot back.

"Undoubtedly…? Why?" Mahiru questioned.

"Do you remember that duralumin case Byakuya was carrying with him during the party? There was a storage case for a set of night-vision goggles inside." Hajime explained.

"In other words, we can infer the goggles were inside the duralumin case when they were brought into the lodge…" Ibuki determined, "Ha ha! Ibuki said 'infer'! A clever word that doesn't fit her at all!"

"That means that someone removed those goggles from inside the case during the power outage…And the only person who could have done that is Byakuya, who never left its side." Hajime determined.

"I see… If you put it this way, I guess you're right…" Mahiru conceded.

"In that case, that knife probably also came from inside the duralumin case, didn't it? If he had night-vision goggles in there, it wouldn't be too weird if there was also a knife!" Teruteru pointed out.

"…No, something is weird." Chiaki disagreed.

"Yes, I guess I am weird… At a time like this all I can think about is this evening's hors d'oeuvre…" Teruteru conceded.

"Ewwww, gross! That was definitely a double entendre, right?!" Hiyoko accused.

"If this wasn't already a murder trial you'd be in serious danger of getting something cut off!" Biyuki growled.

"Hey calm down!" Mizuki plead with her friend.

"I'm sorry, but there's evidence saying that the knife wasn't in that duralumin case. There was a piece of packing tape on the underside of the table we found the body under." Hajime corrected, ignoring the others.

"…Eh? Packing tape?" Teruteru questioned.

"I'm sure it was used to attach the knife to the table's underside, and thereby hide it from view." Hajime replied.

"S…So that's why there was a piece of packing tape left over there…" Mikan stuttered.

"Byakuya was extremely vigilant and careful tonight, but even he didn't think to check under the tables…" Nekomaru muttered.

"…If I may change the subject for a little while, why was Byakuya on such high alert tonight?" Peko wondered., "He brought in not only defense goods, but even those night-vision goggles in that duralumin case of his…"

"That is certainly excessive for a 'just in case' scenario…!" Nekomaru agreed.

"Now that you mention it… so was his confiscation of dangerous items. Subjecting us to such a thorough body check… that's way too much if he was simply being cautious!" Mahiru considered.

"He… must have known. He knew someone was going to try and murder tonight…" Nagito replied simply, crossing his arms.

"He had premonitions of the murder?! No, it can't be… does he also possess the Evil Eye…?!" Gundham questioned.

"You think so too, don't you, Hajime?" Nagito wondered. Hajime looked over to a sad looking Mizuki, and immediately knew what Nagito was getting at, reaching into his pocket and taking out the note.

"Yes…Everyone… Take a look at this." Hajime requested, the note being passed around as Mizuki said out loud exactly what it said, the words burned into her memory:

"Watch out. The first murder will occur tonight. It is inevitable."

"Oi…Where did you find this…?" Fuyuhiko muttered as he looked at the letter.

"Hajime, Mizuki, and I found it. It was at Byakuya's cottage." Nagito explained to the confused people.

"In all likelihood… this is a threat someone sent to Byakuya." Hajime stated.

"Who's this 'someone'?" Akane demanded.

"No one but Monokuma would write such a stupid threat…" Hiyoko mocked.

"It wasn't me!" Monokuma hummed.

"…Is that the truth?" Monomi questioned suspiciously.

"The only lies I tell are white lies!"

"Even that's a lie, isn't it!"

"Wait a second, couldn't we use that to find out who the killer is super easily?" Biyuki questioned, "Just have everyone here write on a piece of paper and see who matches up, or at least who is trying harder than usual to make their letters look different."

"Sorry Bi-kun, but that wouldn't help…It's possible, no matter how unlikely, that the person who wrote this was not our killer. It's also possible with the crowd we're in that someone has some pretty good forgery skills and wouldn't be detected if they tried to make their handwriting look different on this note…" Mizuki sighed, "And when it all comes down to it…The person who wrote this might have just wanted to get a rise out of Byakuya and not actually have been planning to kill anyone at all. Maybe they just wanted to make him act the way he was last night…We can't just assume the person who wrote this is the same as the person who killed Byakuya right now, and we can't assume that we could find that person through a handwriting test either."

"Regardless of who wrote it or whether or not that person is the killer…This threat was most likely the reason Byakuya was so wary, correct?" Peko determined.

"This letter is also probably to blame for Byakuya suddenly deciding to throw the party." Nagito considered.

"What do you mean?" Teruteru wondered.

"By gathering everyone in a single place, he tried to create a situation where everyone watched each other. That way, whoever sent that threat would be held back, unable to make their move." Nagito determined.

"But, that letter was probably just a prank…As Mizuki said." Teruteru replied.

"…I didn't say it was probably a prank, I said it was possible…I sincerely hope it was, no matter how cruel it may have been, but we can't say for sure the person who wrote it was NOT intending to kill yet either. We can only say for sure that this note would have freaked Byakuya out." Mizuki corrected.

"Right, we all knew Byakuya had declared that there won't be even a single victim. He couldn't just let it go…His strong sense of responsibility… forced him to take the threat seriously." Nagito stated, "And the person who wrote this note probably knew that they would make him react in some way."

"Ku… he should have discussed this threat with us when he got it…!" Nekomaru grumbled.

"If he did that, it would just throw us into chaos… I'm sure Byakuya understood that very well." Nagito muttered.

"Then, he decided to tell no one and act alone?" Sonia questioned.

"His sense of responsibility as a leader became his downfall…" Peko sadly determined, everyone silent for a moment before Akane spoke up:

"Feh, it's time to stop fooling around! Who the hell wrote that letter?!"

"Despite what Mizuki said…It was… the culprit, of course…It had to be, right?" Mahiru interjected.

"Heh. How about it, cowardly one? Have you at least the courage to step forward now?" Gundham wondered as he looked around the room.

"Someone who would just give up here wouldn't have murdered someone in the first place!" Hiyoko sighed.

"And again…I don't know if it's right to assume the killer and the letter writer were the same person at this point…After all, though it sent Byakuya into a panic, would you announce your killing to someone who you knew would try to prevent it if you were that intent on murder…?" Mizuki questioned, "It just…Doesn't add up to me…"

"Um… Excuse me. May I ask a small question?" Sonia requested suddenly, everyone turning to her.

"…What is it, Sonia?" Kazuichi wondered.

"I apologize for going back to the previous subject, especially when there is still debate over the letter's true meaning to the case, but there is one thing that still worries me about the night-vision goggles. If it was Byakuya who used the goggles, how was the culprit able to conquer the darkness?" Sonia inquired.

"I see… if they didn't have the goggles they couldn't see anything either!" Teruteru agreed, "But, in that case they couldn't have retrieved the knife from under the table, and wouldn't be seen by Byakuya, would they?"

"Even if they'd set up some kind of a landmark… they wouldn't be able to see it in that darkness." Nekomaru stated with a nod.

"But…What if their landmark was covered in glow-in-the-dark paint? That way they'd have been able to see the knife in the dark." Hajime considered, "You see, both the knife that we found under the table…and the packing tape that was stuck to its underside were covered with that kind of paint."

"Does that mean… that the culprit painted them in advance?" Mikan wondered.

"But, that would mean… Wouldn't they need to have known in advance that the power would go out?" Mahiru pointed out.

"They must have known. That's probably why they used glow-in-the-dark paint as a landmark." Chiaki agreed.

"That means whoever caused that power outage is our culprit!" Hiyoko chirped.

"Well, that's it then! The culprit's the one who was in the room with the circuit breakers…In other words, it's you – Peko Pekoyama!" Kazuichi accused.

"Hyaa! Peko-chan killed Byakuya-chan? We're losing both of our glasses wearing characters?!" Ibuki yelled.

"…Me and Mizuki BOTH wear glasses as well Ibuki." Biyuki corrected.

"Oh yeah, Ibuki forgot!~"

"…I am not the culprit." Peko told them.

"She says she's not the culprit!" Akane stated.

"…Don't believe people so easily!" Kazuichi yelled.

"Peko couldn't be the culprit!" Mizuki argued.

"That's right… I don't think Peko is tall enough to reach the fuse box in that office…" Mikan agreed simply.

"T…That's a tiny problem that doesn't mean anything! I'm telling you, Peko flipped the breakers and caused that blackout!" Kazuichi asserted, "Peko was in the office, and so…She could cause a power outage any time she wanted!"

"No… that was impossible…" Peko replied.

"Eh? Why so?" Hiyoko questioned.

"Because I wasn't in the office. From before the outage, until after it was over…" Peko stated.

"WHAT ABOUT YOUR ROLE AS A GUARD?!" Nekomaru yelled furious.

"I apologize…" Peko muttered.

"But, saying you weren't at the office…That's just a lame excuse under pressure, isn't it!" Hiyoko taunted.

"No, it's not, I don't think Peko was in any state to stay in the office, let alone murder someone!" Mizuki shot back.

"I concur. I think Peko's telling the truth." Hajime agreed.

"Oh, I get it. You've fallen for her, haven't you?!" Kazuichi accused.

"T…That's not it… Nekomaru's testimony is her alibi! He told us that someone had been using the toilet since just after the party had begun, isn't that right Nekomaru?" Hajime questioned.

"It's true. Someone had been making exclusive use of the toilet since just after the party started…It was only vacant again… after we found Byakuya's body." Nekomaru agreed.

"Ah! So, the person who was in the toilet is…!" Mahiru started.

"Everyone except Peko was in the big hall after the party started, right?" Hajime determined.

"Well, everyone except her, Chiaki, and Fuyuhiko, but Chiaki and Fuyuhiko are each other's alibis for not being in the bathroom at that time." Biyuki replied.

"I get it! If someone's been locked in that toilet the entire time, it could only have been big sis Peko!" Hiyoko teased.

"T…That is true…" Peko reluctantly admitted.

"Y…You were in there the whole time? Why didn't you just say so at the start?!" Kazuichi demanded.

"How could she have said anything? Don't you know anything about delicacy?" Mahiru scolded.

"If she's been there for such a long time… There can be no doubt. It was shit. Gahahaha! Of course she didn't say anything! You can't just come out and say you were taking a shit!" Nekomaru laughed out.

"Hey! Has no one ever taught you about delicacy? Are you living in a country with no women?" Mahiru chastised.

"Mu… I apologize!" Nekomaru muttered.

"I…It's fine… More importantly… can we please stop talking about this?" Peko sighed embarrassed.

"Nevertheless, I can attest that it didn't stink too much! I can testify to that, since I was in there right after you!" Nekomaru tried to comfort.

"…P…Please, just let it go!" Peko begged.

"But, you sure were in there for a reeeeeally long time! Did you have stomach trouble or something?" Hiyoko giggled.

"Immediately after I came to the office, I was overwhelmed by an intense pain in my stomach…That is why I couldn't leave the toilet… Even during the power outage." Peko explained.

"That's what I was trying to say earlier…I helped Peko back to her cottage, remember? She was definitely in pain, she could barely walk sometimes she was hurting so bad…I don't think she was in any condition to move to murder, turn off the power, or anything for that matter…I'm honestly pretty surprised she's okay NOW!" Mizuki told them.

"Hey, how did it feel when it suddenly became dark as you were doing your business? Was it unexpectedly exciting?" Teruteru purred.

"Alright, I know I can't stab him, but can I at least PUNCH him?!" Biyuki demanded.

"…If he says something that disturbing again, I don't think any of us are gonna stop you." Hajime agreed.

"But… was that stomachache really a coincidence?" Fuyuhiko questioned, trying to change the subject.

"What do you want, Mr. 'Nothing to do with me'? You wanted out, so why don't you keep out?" Mahiru huffed at him.

"Mahiru, don't be so rude…We all need to work together here." Mizuki tried to calm her.

"Heh. You idiots are all so unreliable, that I thought I'd put in a word of my own." Fuyuhiko muttered, "Besides…as Mizuki pointed out earlier, I'm gonna die if I don't save your asses, and I really don't feel like biting the bullet cause you're all fuckin morons."

"Enough foolishness. You questioned a supposed 'coincidence'. What did you mean?" Gundham demanded.

"I mean… It's possible that someone spiked her food with laxatives." Fuyuhiko explained.

"L…Laxatives…?" Mikan stuttered.

"By doing that, someone could force her to leave the office, and then take advantage of that opening to flip the breakers." Fuyuhiko determined.

"I see! So that was the trick they used!" Akane muttered.

"How about it? Did you eat anything weird?" Fuyuhiko questioned.

"No… I don't believe I did." Peko replied thoughtfully.

"Speaking of which, Peko… When you left for the office…you took with you some food, did you not?" Sonia recalled.

"Yes… I took a portion of the party food with me." Peko affirmed.

"There must have been laxatives in the food, right?" Fuyuhiko determined.

"No, it's impossible that the party food contained any laxatives." Hajime argued, "I mean, it wasn't just Peko who ate that food. Akane did, too."

"That's right! And I was in the kitchen taste testing all the dishes! So if there had been anything, I would have gotten sick too right?" Mizuki agreed.

"Someone could have added it after you put it out!" Fuyuhiko argued.

"But then Akane should also have had stomach trouble…And Byakuya as well when I think about it, since he ate some as well and there would have been no way of knowing what Peko would have grabbed." Mahiru confirmed.

"I'm feeling as healthy as an ox!" Akane hummed.

"I…I knew it, the food had nothing to do with it! Don't go making weird accusations like that!" Teruteru huffed.

"…I apologize for leading you astray." Peko apologized.

"It's Fuyuhiko who should apologize! He's the one who came up with the idea!" Mahiru argued.

"What was that, asshole?!"

"No one needs to apologize! It was something that was important to look at, whether it turned out to be true or not!" Mizuki butted in.

"Wait a second…I just thought of something…" Mahiru realized.

"What's that?" Hajime wondered.

"If Peko was the one in the bathroom…That calls someone else into question…" Mahiru muttered, "You know who, right Hajime?" Hajime was confused, considering Mahiru's words before his eyes landed on the person he knew she must be talking about.

"That's right…Biyuki." Hajime stated.

"W-Whaaa?!" Mizuki yelled shocked, though Biyuki just sighed.

"I knew you guys were gonna bring me to the front sooner or later…Honestly you all lasted longer than I thought you would, though please…Call me Yanii as requested." Biyuki stated.

"Is that an admission?!" Kazuichi exclaimed.

"No, despite what you all may think, I did not kill Byakuya."

"Yeah! Why would you even call Bi-kun into question?!" Mizuki yelled.

"Mizuki, you said that B-I mean, Yanii, left to use the bathroom shortly before the blackout correct?"

"Well, yeah."

"And Nekomaru said it was in use since the start of the party, and she didn't leave until well after the party had started!" Hajime stated, "So, if Peko was the one in there the whole time…Where was Biyu-Yanii?"

"You're right!" Nekomaru exclaimed.

"Jeez, why didn't we look at her sooner? It was a STABBING!" Kazuichi agreed.

"Bi-kun wouldn't do that!" Mizuki argued.

"Then where was she?" Akane demanded.

"Maybe Bi-kun left to use a different toilet, ever think of that?!"

"No…That can't be right…" Hajime regretfully corrected.

"Why not?!" Mizuki growled.

"Because…Chiaki would have seen her if she left the hall. There was only one entrance and exit, and Chiaki was guarding it." Hajime told him.

"Correct. Since after Biyuki would have left I was in front of the door, and the only one I saw during that time was Fuyuhiko." Chiaki confirmed.

"B-But, Byakuya hadn't hurt or insulted me! So there wouldn't have been a reason for Bi-kun to want to hurt him! Let alone kill him!" Mizuki defended.

"Oh yeah?! What about how he took her knife?! She seemed pretty upset over that!" Kazuichi accused, "Biyuki would have wanted to kill Byakuya to get her knife back!"

"…I thought I told you all to call me Yanii." Biyuki muttered, annoyed.

"Is that all you have to say?!" Kazuichi demanded.

"Bi-kun wouldn't do that!" Mizuki stepped in forcefully.

"Really, cause she's already tried to stab someone once today with us all watching!" Kazuichi shot back.

"Yeah, me! Not that it hasn't happened to me before, but she's still a fuckin' psychopath." Fuyuhiko muttered, crossing his arms, "Though, I respect her for it. Chick's got guts."

"…I'm not a psychopath. I'm a SOCIOpath. Get your titles straight." Biyuki muttered.

"WOULD YOU TWO STOP BEING SO RELAXED ABOUT THIS?!" Kazuichi demanded.

"Stop right there! One of those two actions fits in with who Bi-kun is and one doesn't! You know what I'm talking about, right Hajime?!" Mizuki plead, looking to him desperately for back up. Hajime considered it then looked up.

"You're right…B-Yanii, I mean, is a Yandere. She's admitted that much to us. Based on what a Yandere is, stabbing at Fuyuhiko for pushing Mizuki is normal behavior. He had hurt someone she loved. But over the confiscation of her knife…?" Hajime questioned, "That wouldn't fit."

"There's nothing normal about that to begin with!" Kazuichi argued.

"I didn't say it was normal for everyone, just for her!" Hajime shot back.

"It doesn't matter! Her brain is obviously messed up! Who knows what qualifies as a reason to stab someone to her?!" Kazuichi decided.

"I DO!" Mizuki screamed, everyone looking to her as she had tears in her eyes, "I KNOW BI-KUN BETTER THAN I KNOW MYSELF, AND I KNOW SHE WOULDN'T HAVE DONE THIS! HOW DARE YOU SAY HER MIND IS MESSED UP! IF ANYONE HERE IS MESSED UP, IT'S YOU!"

"I'M NOT THE ONE WHO NEARLY STABBED SOMEONE THIS MORNING!" Kazuichi yelled back. Mizuki trembled then turned to Biyuki who was glaring daggers at Kazuichi for making Mizuki cry.

"Bi-kun!" Biyuki turned, caught off guard at Mizuki saying her name, "Say something to help! If they vote you, which is wrong, I know and you have to too, we ALL die! Including you! I-Including me…" Biyuki's eyes seemed to light up at that thought, her eyebrows shooting up, then narrowing.

"…Fine. I don't think I should dignify you all with a response on this, since it should be obvious it wasn't me, but I will defend myself. It's impossible for me to have killed Byakuya, because I didn't have my knife."

"So?! What does that prove! You used the one under the table!" Kazuichi determined.

"You think I would disrespect my knife?!" Biyuki growled, "I've been through a lot with that knife! It is my blade of love, friendship, and revenge! I've had that knife since the day I met Mizu-kun! It was the knife with which I first defended her! I refuse to stab or slice with anything else!" She crossed her arms, "If it had been strangulation, or blunt trauma, maybe I could have done it, I don't have any attachment to any weapon for those, but if I'm gonna slice, dice, or stab, it HAS to be MY knife!"

"Bi-kun has standards!"

"Those aren't standards to be proud of!" Mahiru huffed.

"Well, even if we accept that as truth, which I don't yet…" Kazuichi replied, "Where was she?!"

"…If it'll end all of this, I'll tell you. It's true I wasn't in the bathroom, and I never had any intention of going to the bathroom. But, I suppose it's pretty ironic Peko was in the place I said I was going to be…" Biyuki muttered.

"And why is that?" Nagito questioned.

"Because, she's who I was going to see when I told Mizuki I was heading to the bathroom." Biyuki answered.

"Wha-?! Oh, I get it. You were gonna ask her to get your knife out of the case, right?" Teruteru stated.

"No. That would have been ridiculous." Biyuki sighed, "She couldn't have even if I asked. Byakuya had the key, remember?"

"So then why did you go looking for Peko?" Hajime wondered.

"And without telling me Bi-kun…" Mizuki sniffled.

"I wanted to talk about her wooden sword, and other such weaponry...I…I'm not really comfortable at parties with a bunch of people I don't know well, and you were all really loud and excited…I'm fine with that when it's people I know well like Mizu-kun, but all of you at once was a lot to handle…Peko seemed much more my speed, reserved, quiet, I could talk to her about weapons, and slowly move forward. And…I didn't tell Mizuki because I was worried she would have followed me." Biyuki explained.

"Of course I would have! You're my friend! If you weren't feeling comfortable, or wanted to go do something else, I wouldn't have just abandoned you!"

"Exactly! I didn't…I DON'T want to hold you back from getting along with everyone…I do that enough through how protective and possessive I get…You deserve better than that…And you were so happy to be invited to a party…! Even if it was one that literally all of us were invited to. I couldn't take that away from you...And besides, I shouldn't rely on you to help me interact with others…I need to be able to make new friends, like you do…"

"Bi-kun…"

"But, you didn't find Peko, because she was in the bathroom." Nagito stated, changing the subject before Mizuki could burst into tears.

"Yes, that's correct."

"So you would have been alone in the office with the case and the fuse box!" Kazuichi determined.

"That's right, good job Holmes."

"So you were in a prime spot to cause the blackout!"

"No, she wasn't." Nagito stated.

"What are you talking about?!" Kazuichi huffed.

"Remember when we were talking in the office? We determined none of us could have reached that box, even Nekomaru." Hajime replied.

"Oh yeah…Sorry…" Kazuichi muttered.

"What did you do next?" Hajime questioned.

"Well, since I couldn't find Peko, I decided to try to go talk to Chiaki before giving up and returning. She also seems pretty calm and reserved, and I really like games as well, so I figured we'd have something to talk about." Biyuki replied.

"You like games too?" Chiaki questioned with a smile.

"Yeah! I really like-"

"Let's get back to the trial before the two of you geek out, okay? More important things." Mahiru interrupted.

"Ah, right, sorry…" Chiaki apologized.

"Chiaki, you said you didn't see anyone outside except Monomi and Fuyuhiko, right?" Nagito confirmed.

"Yup, that's true."

"That's because after I left the office, the lights went out! I was worried about Mizu-kun in this pitch black, so I hurried as quick as I could without falling towards the big hall." Biyuki stated.

"Wait, but then you would have run into Kazuichi, wouldn't you? Since you didn't get back until after the blackout and he left before the blackout was over." Mahiru stated.

"Hey that's right! That would have been the same hall!" Kazuichi agreed.

"Let's be honest, neither of us could see. It's possible we were feeling down opposite walls. It's a miracle either of us knew which direction we were going in the first place." Biyuki shot down.

"And when the lights came back on, you had already stepped into the office, right Kazuichi?" Nagito questioned.

"That's right, I had just stepped in when the lights came back on." Kazuichi sighed.

"And you all saw me come back after the lights were turned on!" Biyuki shot back.

"That's right…Not to mention, even if she hadn't…Something that was bothering me is how she would have managed to kill Byakuya not being in the room?" Sonia pointed out, "It would have been a stretch for her to have without any of us noticing in the pitch black come in, kill Byakuya, and run out again, not running into anyone or anything."

"That's right…So it couldn't be her…" Nekomaru determined.

"That's right!" Biyuki nodded.

"I told you it couldn't be Bi-kun!~"

"You're right…Sorry…" Kazuichi muttered, "I got really aggressive there."

"I suppose I'll forgive you this time…" Biyuki told him, giving a nod, "You just wanted to get to the bottom of the situation after all."

"So, if we've got that sorted out now, how about we go back to talking about the blackout…?" Mikan suggested.

"Sure, sure… you don't have to spell everything out, you dirty bitch." Hiyoko taunted.

"D…Dirty bitch?!" Mikan stuttered.

"If the murder took place during the blackout, the mystery of that blackout must be important…" Hajime agreed, "In that case, we must make it clear why that power outage happened…!"

"Who flipped the breakers and how did they do it? If you can't answer that, I'll pinch you in the forehead!" Hiyoko threatened.

"Perhaps they threw a stone at the fuse box?" Ibuki suggested.

"They must've used a remote control, right?" Kazuichi thought.

"Do fuse boxes have remote controls? That seems weird…" Mizuki puzzled.

"The fuse box must've been tampered with somehow." Nagito stated.

"No, we've already decided that no one could have reached it." Biyuki argued.

"It might not have been the fuse box at all…It is possible the power lines or the power transmission have been tampered with!" Sonia guessed.

"Maybe we were just using too much power?" Mahiru considered.

"I think that's right! Just like Mahiru said… The power outage happened because too much power was being used. It wasn't a coincidence, though. Someone… triggered it on purpose." Hajime guessed.

"How would they have done that?" Mizuki questioned, "I didn't see a whole lot of electrical stuff in the hall to plug in…"

"Except for those three irons, right Hajime?" Nagito replied.

"That's right…When you found them immediately after the power outage, they were all plugged in and turned on, right?" Hajime questioned, Nagito giving a nod.

"Huh? What irons?" Mizuki questioned.

"They were in the storage room, you didn't see them because you didn't stay there for investigation. It was too dusty for your asthma, remember?"

"Oh, yeah…"

"So, someone set up those irons purposely to draw enough power to trip the breakers?" Mahiru inquired.

"Yeah. By using the irons, the culprit caused the outage and–" Hajime started.

"YOU FOOOOOOL!" Nekomaru interrupted, "Hold it right there! I have something to say!"

"W…What is it…?" Hajime wondered, taken off guard.

"Are you saying the irons in the storage room triggered that power outage…? I CANNOT ALLOW SUCH FOOLISHNESS TO PASS UNCHALLENGED!" Nekomaru asserted, "If the irons in the storage room are the cause of the blackout…In order for the culprit to fire up those irons…They would have to go to the storage room, wouldn't they? In that case, the people who were in the big hall when the power outage occurred…Should be removed from the suspect list, right?!"

"No, the people who were in the big hall…are not yet removed from suspicion!" Hajime corrected.

"The people who were in the big hall could not have caused the blackout! If the irons were the trigger for that power outage…It means the culprit went to the storage room just before the blackout started…And turned on those irons! Or, perhaps, you wish to withdraw your previous statements?!" Nekomaru confidently decided.

"No, I won't withdraw my statement. The irons did cause the power outage, but…they weren't the direct trigger for it…The direct trigger was the air conditioners in the big hall and the office turning on." Hajime shot back.

"A…AIR CONDITIONERS?!" Nekomaru cried out.

"Both air conditioners were set to turn on at 11:30…" Hajime reported.

"11:30… That's about the same time that Mr. Porkfeet died!" Hiyoko chirped.

"I would say don't speak ill of the dead but Byakuya seemed to enjoy the nickname…" Mahiru sighed.

"So…you're saying the moment those air conditioners turned on, the breakers flipped, causing the blackout…?" Nekomaru puzzled, then laughing, "Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle! You got me! I am fully convinced!"

"…Monkey's uncle?!" Sonia questioned perplexed.

"The culprit must have investigated the power limit at the old lodge beforehand, and set up enough irons to just barely reach it. Then, all they had to do was set up the air conditioner's timers and wait for them to turn on…" Nagito deduced.

"Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle! They could cause the power outage even if Peko was still in the office!" Sonia determined.

"He got to Sonia?!" Kazuichi gawked.

"It is also possible… that they might have asked Monokuma about the power limit." Chiaki suggested.

"Gasp!" Monokuma exclaimed, not even gasping but just shouting the word.

"Did she hit the jackpot?! How detestable… You deserve to die a thousand times over…!" Monomi accused.

"A thousand times? If I die that many times, I'd really be dead…"

"Shut up, you two!" Mahiru groaned.

"I wouldn't been able to prevent the blackout even if I had stayed in the office. But, nevertheless, I am ashamed…Had I stayed, I might have been able to quickly reset the breakers… That might have prevented this horrible incident from occurring…" Peko muttered.

"No, like we've said many times now, the fuse box in that office is too high for any of us to reach…It would've been impossible for you to reset the breakers… even if it wasn't pitch black at the time." Nagito comforted.

"…Seems you shouldn't worry about it too much." Fuyuhiko grumbled.

"We seem to have a cunning culprit on our hands… I'm starting to worry that we'll never find them." Hiyoko admitted, though she was still smiling a little.

"It's fine. There's no need for worry. I mean, come on! It's just some killer, right? What chance can they possibly stand against the students who were branded the symbols of hope?!" Nagito asserted, "There's no way we're going to lose here. An incident of this level isn't an obstacle! It's a mere stepping stone! In the end, hope is going to win! I have full confidence in that!" Everyone looked at Nagito wide eyed as he got a crazy smile on his face, his eyes wide and looking distant.

"N…Nagito…? What's up with you…?" Hajime questioned worriedly.

"Eh? What's wrong?" Nagito wondered, tilting his head slightly, calming down a bit but not much.

"I mean… up until now you kept saying the culprit couldn't possibly be one of us…" Hajime pointed out.

"I did? Oh, well. More importantly, let's go back to discussing the incident." Nagito brushed off, moving on, "As we were saying… we now know how the power outage was set up. The problem is… who actually did all of that. Anyone could have secretly set up the air conditioner timers…The irons are the same… anyone could have come in before Byakuya did and put them in the storage room…That's a problem. It seems it could've been any one of us, doesn't it?"

"…What are you trying to say?" Fuyuhiko demanded.

"He's saying that's when all is said and done we still haven't really figured anything out!" Hiyoko answered.

"Eh? Even after so much debate?" Sonia questioned.

"Unfortunately, that is the truth…We talked about the incident that much, and yet we haven't found a single clue leading to the culprit…" Nagito admitted, then smiling, "But… that's just natural, isn't it? I mean… there's no way the culprit is one of us."

"Hey… didn't you just change what you're saying again?" Hajime pointed out.

"Anyway…" Nagito suggested, ignoring Hajime, "I'd like to suggest what we should do now…Hey, everyone. Don't tell me you haven't ever felt like this…Don't tell me you never felt it better to die trusting your friends than to survive suspecting them…"

"A…Are you saying we should just give up and die?!" Ibuki stuttered out.

"That's insane!" Biyuki growled.

"Nagito! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Hajime demanded.

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with me is that's something wrong with all of you!" Nagito exclaimed, "You keep blaming and accusing each other… I think that's utter madness! Let's just stop it! We don't really have to find the culprit, do we? I hate it! We're all friends - I don't want to do such things!"

"I…I don't like it either…" Teruteru agreed.

"M…Me too! I…I just wanna go back home!" Mahiru sniffled.

"Waaaaaaaaaah! I wanna go home and eat lots of candy!" Hiyoko sobbed.

"S…Stop it…. I…If everyone starts acting like that, I'm gonna… I'm…!" Mahiru stumbled, trying not to cry.

"Of course no one wants to do this…But…We have to! For Byakuya's sake!" Mizuki asserted, though she then sank back into herself a little, "Don't we…?"

"C…Calm down, everyone!" Hajime begged.

"We're comrades, aren't we…? There's no way that murder would happen between comrades, right…?" Nagito reasoned.

"Then why the hell is Byakuya dead?!" Hajime exclaimed.

"Who cares why…? Let's just give up, already…After all, there isn't a single clue leading to the culprit…" Nagito muttered.

"You've got that wrong!" Chiaki exclaimed, "…I think."

"…Did you say something?" Nagito muttered, looking to Chiaki.

"I mean… we've already found a clue that can lead us to the culprit, haven't we?" Chiaki mentioned.

"We… did?" Gundham puzzled.

"Do you know who the culprit is?" Akane wondered.

"I can't say for sure that it's the culprit… But there is a clue that points to one suspicious person… I think." Chiaki muttered self-consciously.

"Oh? In that case, let's hear it. What is this clue you're speaking of?" Nagito inquired.

"First, we should think about how the culprit could get to the knife during the blackout." Chiaki recommended.

"We already figured that out… They used glow-in-the-dark paint for that, didn't they?" Nagito sighed.

"That's not it… I'm talking about before they used that." Chiaki corrected.

"Before…?" Hajime questioned, thinking.

"Like…How they got to the table in the first place? After all, if the glow in the dark paint was bright enough for them to see through the cloth, we all would have been able to see it too…and it was pitch black…" Mizuki considered.

"You're right, let's check the state of things at the time… The map Mahiru drew can probably help us." Hajime stated.

"The one that shows where everyone was standing just before the blackout, right? Um… here it is." Mahiru told him, handing the map over that had been corrected for where Peko and Biyuki actually were during the blackout. Hajime took it, eyes quickly scanning over the drawing before falling on something important.

"That's it!" Hajime exclaimed, "The lamp!"

"That tabletop lamp…? You aren't saying they used its light, are you?" Nagito chuckled.

"With the lodge devoid of power? None could have used that lamp." Gundham agreed.

"Plus, if someone had turned it on, we all would have been able to see, same as if the glow in the dark paint could shine through the cloth as Mizuki said." Biyuki replied, "Or, at least all of you, since I wasn't there…"

"The culprit didn't use the lamp's light, of course. What they used was…The power cord." Hajime deduced.

"T…The power cord?" Mikan stuttered.

"If they moved by following the cord, they could reach the table the lamp was standing on, right?" Hajime reasoned, "Then, after they moved all the way to the table, they could use the glow-in-the-dark paint as a landmark and get that knife."

"On top of that… among all of us, there's only one person who could have done that." Chiaki agreed.

"W…Who is that?" Teruteru questioned. Hajime paused, almost not wanting to say it, not wanting to be right even though he knew all of it pointed to him. But, Hajime shakily said:

"…Nagito, it was you, wasn't it?"

"M…Me…?" Nagito stuttered out, surprised.

"When we look at everyone's positions just before the blackout… you were the only one who stood next to that cord." Hajime muttered.

"In other words… you're saying no one but Nagito could have used that cord as a guide!" Nekomaru agreed.

"T…That's just a coincidence!" Nagito asserted.

"But…Nagito also had a chance to set up the knife under the table, didn't he…?" Chiaki commented.

"What do you mean Chiaki…?" Mizuki questioned, tilting her head.

"She means…Nagito…you'd been cleaning the big hall the entire day since this morning, right? So, you had all the time in the world to place that knife there!" Hajime clarified.

"T…That's…!" Nagito stuttered.

"You were standing near the cord. You were chosen for cleaning duty. It's strange how you're the only one who can be connected to that knife!" Hajime pointed out.

"I…I'm telling you, it's a coincidence!" Nagito plead.

"If it was only one thing that would be possible… But two such coincidences are a little too much…Hmmm, I wonder… Is it really possible for such a coincidence to exist?" Chiaki questioned.

"It's even possible… that you set yourself up for cleaning duty so you could set up the knife there, right…?" Mahiru pointed out.

"Now that you mention it… It was Nagito who prepared the chopsticks when we drew lots to decide on cleaning duty…" Nekomaru agreed.

"But how would he have rigged it so he won…?" Mizuki questioned, "We have to make absolutely sure it's him after all, if we're going to vote…It's something our lives depend on…"

"Who cares how he did it right now? You lost that drawing on purpose to get cleaning duty, didn't you?" Mahiru accused. Nagito was absolutely silent to the question.

"I don't know if he's the culprit or not… But there's an awful lot of evidence that makes him very suspicious…" Chiaki muttered.

"And… that strange act just now… Was that also part of your plan…?" Nekomaru growled.

"You tried to dampen our spirits and cover up your crime, didn't you?!" Fuyuhiko shouted.

"Is that right? Say something, right now!" Mahiru demanded.

"Nn…n…!" Nagito stuttered out.

"Everyone, don't just pile onto him! Give him a second to defend himself!" Mizuki asserted, trying to stop this from being violent or unfair, as well as not wanting to believe Nagito would do such a thing.

"Nagito, if you have a counterargument, let's hear it…! To tell you the truth, I don't want to believe it…We investigated together… and you've been so kind… To think that you're the culprit who killed Byakuya…" Hajime muttered, tearing slightly at the thought.

"N…ngu…!"

"Nagito, say something!" Mizuki and Hajime demanded together.

"Nn…nnnnnnnnnnnnnuuuu…!" Nagito groaned, clutching his head.

"Ha…!"

"What…?" Mizuki muttered, looking as Nagito began to laugh, taking a horrified step back.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! The Ultimates stand together and rise against the despair of their friend's death!" Nagito practically swooned, "Aa, this is such a magnificent, beautiful sight…!"

"…Eh?" Hajime breathed out, also horrified by the look in Nagito's eyes, the spirals of darkness practically glowing as they looked, hope and despair blending together in his eyes to the point of madness before them all…

"If I may start from the conclusion… you are completely correct! That's right, everything was my doing!" Nagito cheerfully agreed, explaining to them, "It was me who set up the knife under the table before the party started. It was also me who used the power cord to find the table in the dark. And it was also me who set up that power outage in the first place, of course. I mean, I couldn't just go and grab that knife while everyone was watching, could I?"

"H…His character's completely broken down, hasn't it?" Ibuki chuckled nervously.

"Broken down…? I'm pretty sure he's just gone a little insane." Biyuki hummed, though she seemed far from put off as she smirked at him.

"A little!? This is nuts!" Kazuichi exclaimed, running a hand through his hair.

"But… I never imagined Byakuya would go as far as bringing in night-vision goggles…Thanks to that, we encountered each other under the table… and you know how that ended. But, I guess you could say that thanks to that unexpected occurrence, you had this interesting mystery to solve!~" Nagito practically sang happily, "Ha ha! That sure was a splendid performance from Byakuya!~"

"N-Nagito…" Mizuki stuttered out fearfully.

"Is… this what you're really like? Have you been deceiving us all this time?" Mahiru questioned, equally alarmed.

"I haven't been deceiving anyone! There's no way I could deceive you guys!" Nagito retorted, hugging himself slightly and looking down, still smiling as he continued, "I know better than anyone that I'm a lowly, good-for-nothing human being. Harboring my own hopes and dreams would be presumptuous… Striving to exert myself would be…impertinent…Yes, that's the kind of decidedly inferior, foolish human being I am. The lowliest, worst kind of incompetent human being."

"Oh no! This man is definitely the type who killed animals in his neighborhood when he was a kid!" Ibuki asserted.

"Is that bad?" Biyuki wondered, tilting her head.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IS THAT BAD?!" Kazuichi practically screamed at her.

"Calm your shorts, It's not like I do it now." Biyuki sighed, "…And it was only a rabbit or two when I was younger."

"R-Rabbits?!" Monomi exclaimed fearfully.

"Well they should have stayed away from my garden! It's their own fault!" Biyuki huffed, "I would have done the same to anything that dared pilfer from my garden! …Except for a cute kitty…"

"Can we please get back to the matter at hand?" Mahiru pleaded.

"Nagito…If everything is indeed your doing, does that include the threatening letter…?" Nekomaru questioned.

"Of course. Who else but me could have this ugly, careless handwriting?" Nagito muttered with a sigh.

"But, why did you send a warning?" Mizuki wondered, concerned.

"Perhaps… somewhere, deep in my heart, I was looking for someone to stop my dark deeds…" Nagito sighed then gave them a smile, "…If I told you that was my reason, that would get me a little sympathy from everyone, wouldn't it?"

"Are you making fun of us?!" Akane growled.

"A teasing murderer huh…?~" Biyuki smirked, leaning on her podium thoughtfully.

"Biyuki we're going to have to have a serious talk about this kind of behavior later." Mizuki chastised, "It's really unhealthy."

"Nagito probably sent the threat to Byakuya in order to lead his actions." Chiaki reasoned, "He chose the location of the party after all, besides just getting to clean it, by which he managed to lead not only Byakuya but everyone else to the scene of the murder… Am I wrong?"

"Now that you mention it… It was the same when I went to guard the case. It was Nagito who suggested I use the office." Peko considered.

"I see… if Peko went to the storage room, he wouldn't have been able to use the iron setup anymore." Hiyoko agreed thoughtfully.

"Both the threatening letter and that suggestion… all manipulations leading us to his trap." Peko said solemnly.

"Yes, you're all correct… except for one point." Nagito mentioned.

"H…Huh? W…What have we got wrong…?" Mikan stuttered worriedly, though to Hajime it looked like she had something in mind herself.

"It's the lots we drew to decide on cleaning duty. You said I set that up ahead of time… but I didn't." Nagito corrected.

"Then how did you manage to pull the chopstick that gave you cleaning duty?!" Mahiru demanded.

"I see… of course you don't remember. Why would you remember the useless talent of someone as lowly as me?" Nagito sighed wistfully.

"Wait…You mean…?" Mizuki started, "Ultimate Lucky Student? You used…?"

"Yes, I simply believed in my own luck. I knew I would probably get cleaning duty." Nagito replied, "So long as that was what I needed."

"Y…You just left it up to fate?!" Teruteru exclaimed.

"Oh, I didn't just leave it up to fate… My talent may be garbage, but it's still a talent none the less…" Nagito responded, "At the time, Hajime joked about how unlucky I was… But it's just the opposite…I was very lucky! I was chosen for cleaning duty, just as I desired!"

"…T…That's enough… I don't care about that anymore…" Hajime muttered out, looking Nagito pained in the eyes, "Answer me! Why did you kill Byakuya?!"

"Byakuya was an outstanding, talented leader, wasn't he…? Someone like him getting killed sure is despair-inducing, isn't it…?" Nagito sighed, holding himself before brightening up and smiling at them, "That's why he was perfect as a stepping stone to make you - the symbols of hope - shine even more. That's why I did it all!~"

"S…Stop saying incomprehensible things!" Nekomaru demanded.

"Enough… let's get to the vote! Let's kill this weirdo!" Fuyuhiko growled.

"Even I have to agree…There's little doubt at this point…Nagito betrayed us…" Mizuki admitted sadly.

"Please, Monokuma!" Ibuki shouted.

"W…Wait a second!" Mikan interjected.

"…Ah? What now?" Fuyuhiko asked annoyed.

"U…Um… H…How should I put it… Um…" Mikan stuttered out, "I…I was wondering if…Nagito really is the culprit…"

"Um… what are you saying? He even confessed, didn't he?" Teruteru pointed out.

"I…I know, but… um… There's something that concerns me a little…" Mikan muttered nervously.

"If it only concerns you a little, keep your mouth shut… Having to watch your ugly face makes me all stressful and nauseous…" Hiyoko sighed, crossing her arms.

"Hiii…?! I…I'm sorry!" Mikan apologized.

"Um… Should we not at the very least hear what she has to say?" Sonia suggested.

"B…But, we already know who the culprit is…" Teruteru stated.

"Yes, but…If there's any doubt, any at all, we need to listen and be sure that it's something that doesn't make this case completely thrown off the rails…After all…What if Nagito was trying to protect someone here from being voted in…?" Mizuki pointed out.

"Yes, surely, there is no harm in hearing her out? Mark my words, timorous one! Your testimony will receive all due diligence. We, at least, are… sanguine… on the matter." Gundham asserted.

"Um… the thing that concerns me is…" Mikan tried to stutter out.

"We already know the culprit is Nagito!" Teruteru interrupted.

"Um… b…but, you see…" Mikan tried again.

"He has even confessed." Peko stated.

"B…But… um…"

"That bastard Nagito…stabbed Byakuya with the knife he had hidden!" Fuyuhiko asserted.

"Uu… I can't handle it, after all…" Mikan sniffled.

"Please, everyone, Mikan hasn't even gotten a chance to sp-" Mizuki tried.

"So? Look how much time that dirty bitch wasted!" Hiyoko huffed, crossing her arms.

"Everyone, shut up and let her talk!" Biyuki growled, hands gripping the edge of the podium.

"Hey…I think…The reason for Mikan's concern…Is that the knife probably wasn't the murder weapon… is that what worries you, Mikan?" Hajime suggested, Mikan looking over surprised and then nodding softly.

"What are you talking about? That knife has to be the murder weapon." Fuyuhiko argued.

"But… judging from the wounds on Byakuya's body, the murder weapon should be about 5 millimeters in diameter…" Mikan told them softly.

"5 millimeters in diameter? That's, like, much thinner than a knife!" Ibuki pointed out.

"Definitely…even the one I usually carry in my boot is a good 2.5 centimeters across the widest part of the blade, and it's not a very big knife. In fact, it's one of the smallest that you can get, and it's 50 times bigger than what the murder weapon would have been…The knife that was under the table was much larger than that, a good 6 centimeters at largest point if I had to guess. Maaaybe 5, but that's being generous." Biyuki deduced.

"…It's terrifying that you know your knife so well you can pull up that measurement so quickly and that you know them well enough that the small amount you looked at the murder weapon allows you to pull out fairly sure measurements." Kazuichi stated.

"Bite me." Biyuki replied.

"Rrr! You all had better be damn sure about this! If you're wrong, I'll have you kidnapped and sold overseas!" Fuyuhiko threatened.

"Hiiiiiii! I…I don't wanna go overseas!" Mikan wept.

"Hey! Don't threaten her!" Mahiru scolded.

"It's just what guys like him have to do I suppose, pushing around and threatening girls so he can feel bigger." Biyuki muttered, crossing her arms.

"The fuck did you just say to me?!"

"It's called a Napoleon Complex shorty, look it up."

"Guys, calm down!" Mizuki plead, "We have more important matters to discuss!"

"If I'm right, what Mikan is trying to say is…that since we can't prove that the knife is the murder weapon, we also can't say for certain that I am the culprit." Nagito reasoned.

"W…What are you saying?! Are you telling us someone other than you is the culprit?!" Mahiru demanded.

"I'm not saying anything. It was Mikan who said it." Nagito replied with a smirk.

"I…I'm sorry!" Mikan apologized. Everyone was silent for a while, before Chiaki spoke up.

"…Hey, Nagito. Are you, perhaps, still hiding something?"

"T…There's more?" Hajime questioned.

"Like… maybe something happened between Byakuya and Nagito that we still don't know about…" Chiaki considered.

"Who knows?" Nagito shrugged.

"…Hrmph. What is left for him to hide?" Gundham questioned. Nagito didn't say a word. Hiyoko growled and huffed, slamming her hands down on the podium.

"Aww, that's so annoying! He's gone all quiet now that things aren't going his way!" Hiyoko complained.

"What did happen during that blackout? Hmmmmm…. Hmmmmm….." Ibuki thought, then smiling, "Ah! When Ibuki crosses her eyes everyone here doubles!"

"Don't just give up like that! There are lives on the line!" Kazuichi asserted.

"Eh? Whose lives are on the line?" Akane questioned.

"When the hell are you going to get what the rules are?!" Kazuichi groaned.

"No one could see anything during the blackout… Try as you might, the truth shall remain hidden in darkness." Nagito hummed, "Heh… Not a bad metaphor, coming from the likes of me, is it? The metaphorical 'darkness' is an analogue for-"

"Hang on, there is someone who knows what happened! …Even if they seem not to know they know what happened." Mizuki pointed out.

"That's right…It's true that no one could see anything during the blackout. But that doesn't mean no one could hear anything…Isn't that right, Ibuki?" Hajime questioned.

"Is it?!" Ibuki exclaimed shocked.

"D…Don't just forget all about it!" Hajime plead.

"Don't you remember telling us about it? You know, about who said what while the lights were out…" Mizuki questioned.

"Oh yeeaaaaaahhhhh, Hang on! So everyone doesn't get all confused and junk, Ibuki totally remembered to write it down! So you all could see what Ibuki heard!" Ibuki told them, taking out a piece of paper and passing it around as everyone read what she had heard and from who.

 **Mahiru: Uwah, the power's out!**

 **Kazuichi: The hell happened?! I can't see nothing!**

 **Ibuki: I…It's too dark! Everything's too dark!**

 **Mizuki: Waaahhh, What's going on?! I-OW!**

 **Mahiru: C…Calm down, everyone! We have to keep calm at a time like this!**

 **Hiyoko: Waaahhh! Don't step on my feet!**

 **Byakuya: Oy, what are you doing?!**

 **Byakuya: Stop it!**

 **Nagito: Ow!**

 **Akane: Turn on the lights! It's hard to eat this way!**

 **Teruteru: Hey, everyone! Where are you? T…This power outage… it isn't just in the kitchen?**

 **Mizuki: Why in the world would a power outage just be in the kitch-OW!**

 **Mikan: A-Are you hurt? I-I c-can try t-to make my w-way over and h-he-AAAH!**

 **Mahiru: Alright, can everyone stop trying to move in this pitch black room?!**

 **Sonia: Could someone perhaps have flipped the circuit breakers?**

 **Kazuichi: W…Wait here! I'll use the walls as a guide and go see if I can't fix this…!**

"As expected from an 'Ultimate Musician'! That's amazing, being able to distinguish the voices like that!" Nagito praised.

"Wha…? YOU WERE THERE TOO WHEN SHE TOLD US THIS!" Mizuki pointed out, a tad frustrated.

"Her face, brains, style and personality may be a failure, but at least she has good ears!" Hiyoko complimented, if you could call it that.

"Tahaaaa! Ibuki's been stabbed with the knife of a fine argument!"

"But, listening to Byakuya and Nagito's words during the blackout…It almost sounds like…Nagito was met with a counterattack from Byakuya…" Peko muttered.

"Well, that would be because I was." Nagito confirmed.

"Eh?" Hajime questioned.

"I guess I should show my respect for Ibuki's talent… and make a small confession. The truth is, I was pushed away by Byakuya. Right there under the table." Nagito told them honestly.

"You were pushed away… by Byakuya?" Teruteru questioned.

"When the lights went out, I quickly crawled under the table to retrieve the hidden knife, but…Byakuya, wearing his night-vision goggles, found me and pushed me away from the table." Nagito sighed, "That's right… I am the worst kind of incompetent fool… I couldn't even get to my own knife…After I was pushed from under the table; I joined the rest of you in your simple state of confusion. I'd lost my glow-in-the-dark landmark, and I couldn't tell where the electric cord was anymore. Then, after a while, the lights came back on and we found Byakuya's body under the table…"

"W…Wait just a second!" Mahiru shouted, "So… Are you trying to say you're not the culprit?"

"Ever since we decided to hold the party, I've been planning…Hiding the knife and setting up the power outage… those were certainly parts of the plan…But, unfortunately, my plan ended in failure, all because of Byakuya and his night-vision goggles…What happened after the plan failed… I do not know myself." Nagito admitted.

"E…Ended up in failure…? So… you're saying you couldn't kill Byakuya?" Fuyuhiko growled.

"T…This time we really are back on square one!" Hiyoko cried out.

"Back on square one?! After all that discussion?!" Nekomaru exclaimed.

"'Meaningless'… There is no word that is more despair-inducing." Nagito sighed out before getting that wide smile on his face again, "But, you must not give up! You must face forward with hope in your hearts, and do your best! You are the symbols of hope! You can recover and rise up again, as many times as is required!"

"…Besides, it wasn't meaningless…Now we know how Byakuya got under that table, we know Nagito is not the culprit, the knife was not the murder weapon, and who caused the blackout. So…Doesn't it make sense to try and find out who might have known about the blackout, since they obviously took advantage of it, and more so what the weapon was?" Mizuki suggested, "I mean…Sure, we don't have many concrete answers, that's true…But we have some, and we know a lot of what didn't happen! The elimination method is after all still a method!"

"Well, then. What are we to do now?" Nagito questioned, "If we agree the knife wasn't the murder weapon, then there's no conclusive evidence showing I'm the murderer."

"Y…You should keep your mouth shut! This is up for the rest of us to decide!" Mahiru stated.

"H…He said he was pushed away from under the table… but we don't know that for sure, do we?" Teruteru confirmed.

"The pretentious one is correct. That some other weapon was used should not itself lift our suspicions…" Gundham agreed.

"Pretentious…?" Teruteru questioned.

"But, Byakuya searched us all for weapons thoroughly, and the only weapon found was the knife. How could he have used something else and hidden it from us…?" Mizuki wondered.

"Just because it's improbable doesn't mean it's impossible. I mean, SOMEONE had to get it in and hide it from Byakuya, right? Why couldn't that be Nagito?" Kazuichi pointed out.

"B…But… there is another reason Nagito can't be the culprit…" Mikan stuttered out.

"Huh?! There's more?!" Kazuichi exclaimed.

"We all agree that the culprit killed Byakuya under the table… don't we?" Mikan started.

"Is that… a problem?" Sonia asked, confused.

"Um… I thought Nagito was too clean to be the culprit." Mikan stated simply.

"Ah! Someone's finally complimenting me for my impeccable personal hygiene! Even my mother never praised me for anything!" Nagito practically cheered.

"Uyu… Ah! No! That's not what I meant!" Mikan argued back.

"Oh… I get it. When Mikan called Nagito 'clean', she meant…Nagito didn't have any blood on him. Right?" Hajime deduced.

"Y…Yes! That's it!" Mikan confirmed, "I mean… there was a lot of blood splattered all over under the table, wasn't there? There were even splatters of blood all over the tablecloth…"

"I see…If he really had killed Byakuya under that table, it is strange that he did not get any blood on him…" Peko muttered thoughtfully.

"Oh? As you can see, there isn't any blood on me at all." Nagito agreed.

"But that's true of everyone here! Are you saying none of us did it?!" Fuyuhiko growled.

"Maybe… he just used something to avoid the blood!" Akane suggested.

"But, what is that 'something'? Was there something that could be used to avoid the blood splatter…? Oh… Actually, there was. Isn't that right, Hajime?" Nagito hummed, looking to the other. Hajime considered it.

"There was indeed… Something that could be used to avoid getting blood on yourself… There was a tablecloth with blood on it in the storage room… Is that what you're talking about?" Hajime questioned, a small nod from Nagito as Mizuki crossed her arms and huffed.

"Aww man, thanks to Asthma I missed out on two important clues now!" Mizuki groaned.

"If there was blood on it that must be it! Nagito must have used it under the table to avoid the blood!" Fuyuhiko determined.

"But, it was found in the storage room, was it not? Are we to believe he carried it there, after the murder?" Gundham wondered suspiciously.

"Do you mean after the lights came back on? What did he plan to do if someone saw him?" Nekomaru puzzled.

"That's right… that tablecloth was pretty large, so carrying it through the lodge in order to hide it…" Hajime thought aloud.

"…I don't think that's possible. When would he have done it? Akane stayed in the room while we all went off to look for Byakuya, and after we found the body Mahiru and Mikan were both still there, staying to look at the body and guard it, plus after that Nagito was almost always with Hajime at least, up until we all left Byakuya's cabin…." Mizuki pointed out, "There would have been no way for him to remove it unless he did it during the blackout, when he couldn't see any better than us, and besides that-we'd have found it pretty easily when the lights came back on…Especially with Akane sniffing out the blood."

"Furthermore, it was enough trouble grabbing the knife in the darkness. Stabbing someone while wrapped in a tablecloth on top of that… I don't think the most talented people in this room could do that… let alone someone at my level." Nagito stated with a sigh.

"S…So… What does it mean…?" Teruteru stuttered out.

"… Perhaps… the culprit didn't stab Byakuya under the table." Chiaki suggested.

"…Eh?" Hajime voiced.

"Impossible. That the victim died under the table is beyond question." Gundham asserted.

"With the blood splattered all over the tablecloth… It's clear that that's where Byakuya was killed…" Mikan agreed.

"True. Byakuya was stabbed under the table. But… that doesn't mean that that's where he was stabbed from." Chiaki stated.

"Frankly, that makes no sense at all." Mizuki told her.

"Actually…I think I see what she's getting at." Biyuki replied, looking thoughtful.

"The place where Byakuya was stabbed and the place the culprit stabbed him from… are different?" Hajime puzzled.

"Oh? Hajime… Your face suggests you just figured something out." Nagito teased.

"R…Really?! You got that… riddle thing she just said?!" Teruteru wondered alarmed.

"I feel as if I'm about to get it… but it's still vague…" Hajime muttered.

"It's a place that both is under the table and isn't under the table. That's the only thing that makes sense! You start with that notion… drop your preconceptions… and pick the right answer! …I think." Chiaki suggested. Hajime looked deep in thought for a long while before it looked like a lightbulb flashed in his head.

"I've got it… the culprit stabbed Byakuya from the crawlspace under the floor, didn't they?!" Hajime exclaimed.

"H…He was stabbed through the floor?!" Mahiru stuttered out.

"The old lodge's floor is full of gaps, and the carpet didn't reach all the way to that table. If someone pushed a weapon through one of those gaps… they could probably stab and kill Byakuya." Hajime suggested.

"In that case, the culprit would have to get into that crawlspace. How did they do that? Where is the entrance?" Nagito wondered.

"I don't know… but I think I have an idea who might." Hajime replied, "Someone was definitely under there…possibly two people…and recently, too! They have to know the way to get there!" he turned to face Gundham, "Hey, Gundham… you dropped your earring back at the big hall, didn't you?"

"You mean, the Devildog Earring?" Gundham questioned.

"That earring—"

"You mean, the Devildog Earring?"

"…The Devildog earring… ended up under the floor, right?"

"Hmhmhm… Long and arduous was the search. By its end, I was ready to raze that accursed lodge to the ground…" Gundham sighed, crossing his arms and closing his eyes before opening them and smiling wide, putting his hands on his hips, "But, just as the ancient prophecies foretold it would, the Devildog Earring found its way back to its rightful owner!"

"Eh? So, you…?!" Teruteru questioned.

"Gundham didn't have the earring during the investigation… But just before the trial he had it back on." Hajime explained, "That means that during the investigation, he managed to retrieve his earring from under the floor."

"And so, it means he must know a way to get under the floor?" Peko questioned.

"Not just him, but the person who went with him as well…Biyuki—"

"YANII. Jeez, what do I have to do to make you remember?" Biyuki chastised, starting to get annoyed.

"We could always change your display like Monomi's!~" Monokuma suggested.

"What are you talking about?" Biyuki questioned.

"Oh nothing~ Carry on~" Monokuma hummed.

"…Anyways…Yanii, you were with Gundham when he found the way under, weren't you?" Hajime suggested.

"Correct. I thought it would be fun!~ And I was more than right. Wait til you hear how he found it!" Biyuki stated.

"Hmhmhm…Yes, to mortals such as yourselves the story might sound awe-inspiring. It is no wonder that your bead-like eyes could not perceive the truth…Everyone but Yanii said it was impossible, but we did not give up hope! And thusly, you were wrong! The power of the Four Dark Gods of Destruction renders every obstacle insignificant!" Gundham chortled as his hamsters came out from his scarf, "Behold, the power of their Fourth Eye of Evil! Yes… Before this Evil Eye, visual chaos becomes order!"

"What am I going to do?! Just listening to him speak is embarrassing!" Hiyoko complained.

"GRAAAAAH! EXPLAIN IT LOUDLY AND CLEARLY, LIKE A MAAAAAN!" Nekomaru demanded.

"So be it, then! I shall tell you! The answer to this mystery lies in the storage room!" Gundham announced, "'Mirage Silver Falcon' Cham-P of the Four Dark Gods of Destruction perceived it within the chaos. He discovered the 'Passage of Doom' concealed among the piles of boxes…And Yanii with the strength of a demon cleared them all out of the way for our passage!"

"Aww, I wouldn't say a demon~ Just a girl who hates making multiple trips~" Biyuki hummed, sounding flattered as Kazuichi rolled his eyes.

"I then acquired for us a lighter from the supermarket, and we stepped into the space, unafraid to face the danger ahead…And there I claimed the spoils of my solitary battle… the Devildog Earring, mine again at last!" Gundham finished explaining, "Fuaahahaha! You know now the extent of my powers… Will you tremble in fear? Or kneel in reverence?"

"You sure you're not exaggerating just a teensy weensy bit? Aren't you just a breeder?" Hiyoko teased.

"No way! He definitely found it with his Four Dark Gods of Destruction! It was really cool!" Biyuki confirmed.

"Anyway… it would seem he entered the crawlspace from the storage room." Peko stated.

"In that case, that's also where the culprit entered it from. It didn't look as though the lodge's walls extend down there, so it wouldn't be very far from the storage room to the hall." Chiaki decided.

"Yeah, there were no walls down there besides the wooden fence." Biyuki confirmed.

"Hmm… if they went by the storage room, that would explain why the tablecloth was there." Nekomaru considered.

"The culprit snuck into the crawlspace from the storage room, and sent the weapon fwap into Byakuya-chan!" Ibuki exclaimed.

"Hmmm… is that really what happened?" Teruteru suspected.

"It might not have been fwap… maybe something more befitting a large mass, like splat or something?" Ibuki thought out.

"No, I wasn't talking about the sound effect…If someone snuck into the crawlspace, which means they'd have had to slip out of the party, doesn't it?" Teruteru pointed out, "But… No one did… did they?"

"Actually…Someone did…If you'll recall…Someone we can't 100% guarantee the location of." Mahiru replied, everyone besides Gundham and Mizuki turning to Biyuki. She sighed.

"Oh great, this again?" She muttered. Mizuki looked around and huffed.

"I can't believe this! I thought we ruled out Bi-kun!" Mizuki huffed.

"Yes, because of a few bits of unconfirmable information and the one big question of how she would have killed without being in the room in that darkness." Hajime muttered, "But now we have something that states ONLY someone who was not in the room could have done it…And Biyuki is one of the only two people who fit into that that I can think of…Minus Fuyuhiko."

"Yes…But I didn't know about the passage until Gundham discovered it." Biyuki pointed out.

"Agreed, she was far too surprised by the location of the passageway for her to be the culprit." Gundham told them.

"She could have faked that." Kazuichi mumbled, Biyuki and Mizuki both sending warning glances.

"…Besides that…There's something else that makes Bi-kun unable to have done it." Mizuki muttered, Biyuki's warning glance now towards her.

"Don't you dare."

"Bi-kun I have to, if I don't there's no other way to say for sure it wasn't you…"

"Well then, out with it! Why the fuck couldn't she have used the crawlspace?" Fuyuhiko demanded.

"Bi-kun…Has major Arachnophobia."

"MIZUKI!"

"WELL IT'S TRUE!"

"…I can confirm this." Gundham agreed with a small nod, pulling up his scarf, "I thought it unwise to reveal the source of her discontent, but once Yanii started to spot spider webs down there she became very uncomfortable, and stuck close to me. However, those of the insect kingdom do not tremble at the might of the demonic power which I possess unfortunately…So one came down in front of Yanii's face and she took off screaming all the way to the front of the building. I retrieved the Devildog Earring, and came so that my Four Dark Gods of Destruction could console her as well as show her the carcass of the defeated enemy. That was when we realized all of you had left and proceeded to meet." Gundham crossed his arms and looked down his nose at everyone else, "There is no way Yanii would have been able to stay down there alone!"

"Heh, you're that scared of an itsy-bitsy-?~" Hiyoko started.

"Hiyoko I like you but if you say one more word those pigtails are going to get cut off and shoved down your throat." Biyuki warned.

"…Alright, spiders are icky, I get it." Hiyoko agreed, shrugging ,though she didn't really seem 'scared' perse, "But that would mean the only other person it could be is Fuyuhiko, right?~ Yay! This proves it!~"

"T…This proves nothing! I'm not the damn culprit!" Fuyuhiko argued.

"Aren't you…? Remind me who said earlier in this trial they were going to sell off someone's organs?" Mahiru pointed out, crossing her arms.

"Shut your mouth! I'll kill you!" Fuyuhiko growled out.

"See? There he goes again!" Mahiru exclaimed.

"Talk like that really doesn't help Fuyuhiko, though I don't think you did it…" Mizuki muttered.

"What are you talking about?!" Kazuichi yelled, "He's the only one who could have done it!"

"I know it seems that way…But it's impossible, at least from what I've heard from Chiaki, Gundham, and Bi-kun so far." Mizuki argued.

"But during the party, the culprit laid waiting under the floor, like a cockroach." Hiyoko pointed out.

"In that case, not only did he have a perfect view of the girls' panties…He didn't have to go to the storage room when it was dark!" Teruteru agreed.

"You are the creepiest man I have ever met." Biyuki stated, "But Mizuki is right, as much as I wish he would be killed after this morning, Fuyuhiko couldn't of been the culprit."

"Why not?!" Kazuichi demanded.

"But, after the party started no one saw him at all." Mahiru accused.

"No…Fuyuhiko did have an alibi. Isn't that right, Chiaki?" Hajime wondered, Chiaki nodding.

"That's right. Fuyuhiko came by while I was patrolling, on a 'walk' but then went back to his cottage, and that was during the party. So he couldn't have been hiding under the floor since then…" Chiaki agreed.

"Why didn't you tell them that faster, you shithead?" Fuyuhiko growled.

"Why didn't you tell them? And why were you loitering around the lodge anyway?" Mahiru questioned.

"S…Shut up…" Fuyuhiko muttered, blushing and looking away.

"Maybe there's a secret passage from outside the lodge to the crawlspace, and he was scouting for it…" Teruteru suggested.

"…Shut the fuck up, asshole!" Fuyuhiko growled.

"Yaaaaaa!" Teruteru exclaimed with a happy look.

"Waaah! He's happy being shouted at?!" Hiyoko exclaimed disgusted.

"Setting that disturbing image aside, there was no way to enter from the outside…I kicked hard enough and Chiaki and Gundham looked hard enough to confirm that. I have a few bruises on my foot to prove it if you'd like to challenge them." Biyuki defended.

"So, someone did sneak into the crawlspace from the storage room during the party, then?" Sonia considered.

"It probably wasn't just during the party… but during the power outage…" Mikan suggested.

"Ah… If someone disappeared during the blackout, it's not so strange that we didn't notice." Chiaki agreed.

"But, walking from the hall to the storage room in the dark is like trying to make Eggs Benedict without eggs!" Teruteru argued.

"He's right… It took me forever to find the office, which is right next to the hall…" Kazuichi muttered.

"… But, was it really impossible? I think we should explore this possibility just a little longer…" Hajime recommended.

"In that darkness? It was definitely impossible to move to the storage room!" Ibuki stated.

' **But… something is definitely not right here. I feel like there's something we're missing…'** Hajime thought to himself, **'I have to find what that is, and so, once more…'**

"Somehow… it seems we're reaching a conclusion…" Nagito sighed wistfully, "The culprit and the innocents… we will soon discover whose hope is superior." They all decided to ignore Nagito again for the moment, moving forward to the discussion.

"The corridor was completely dark during the outage, right?" Teruteru confirmed, "Moving all the way to the storage room in those conditions…That's like a bowl of kaisendon without any fish!"

"That actually doesn't sound so bad!" Mizuki muttered.

"I wonder, is it really completely impossible?" Chiaki considered.

"Maybe they used a cord, like Nagito did?" Nekomaru suggested.

"Maybe they had their own night-vision goggles?" Hiyoko offered.

"But, even if they did…Byakuya would have confiscated them, right?" Biyuki pointed out.

"This is annoying, so I'll just go with my intuition…" Akane muttered, "They used light. That would do it, wouldn't it?"

"That's it! The culprit used light!" Hajime exclaimed suddenly, everyone but Akane looking at him like he was insane.

"Oh! I was right?!" Akane exclaimed.

"But, where would they get light from?" Ibuki wondered, tilting her head.

"They had a light source. Here, it's written right here in the equipment list for the kitchen." Hajime informed, pulling it out to show them, "Fork x 20. Knife x 20. Spoon x 20. Skewer x 5. Frying pan x 3. Wine glass x 20… In addition, there's even a barbecue griddle and a portable stove for hot pots…It's the portable stove."

"P…Portable stove?!" Ibuki exclaimed aghast.

"You can turn on a portable stove even when there's no electricity, and you can even carry it around…The culprit used that portable stove, and moved through the corridor all the way to the storage room!" Hajime reasoned.

"I see… that portable stove is a plausible explanation, but your reasoning still has a hole in it." Nagito stated with a small smile.

"…Eh?" Hajime wondered.

"What hole might that be? Please tell us all about it. Ah! I didn't mean that in a dirty way! I really didn't!" Teruteru defended.

"Denying it so loudly just makes you more suspicious!" Mahiru argued.

"And based on what I've seen I assume everything you say is dirty before you've even said it." Biyuki muttered, crossing her arms.

"So, Hajime! How about a little one-on-one with me?!" Nagito declared, "…I wonder. Will you be able to crush my counterargument?"

'O…One-on-one…? Is he… enjoying this…? Is this a game to him?' Hajime wondered, gritting his teeth, 'Shit! I can't lose to someone like him!'

"Have you forgotten Biyuki and Kazuichi's testimonies from before? He said he could barely reach the office, and neither of them claimed to be able to see anything, including one another. But, the light from the portable stove you claim was used…Would contradict that testimony. Or maybe, you mean to doubt both of their stories?" Nagito questioned.

"I have no reason to doubt their stories!" Hajime defended, "What are you even trying to say…?!"

"If both of them couldn't see each other, or anything else…That means the corridors were completely dark, doesn't it? But, if someone used light in those pitch-black corridors…They would have seen the culprit AND each other!"

"No, that's wrong!" Hajime disagreed, "Nagito… have you forgotten? Or are you just pretending to?"

"…Eh? What are you talking about?" Nagito questioned innocently.

"There was a 'wall' that can block light in that corridor." Hajime retorted, "…The fire doors. If someone closed them, they could make a perfect wall blocking off the corridor. And that's not all… just past the fire doors the corridor quickly makes a sharp turn…So even if you only have a short opening… as soon as you round that corner you're out of sight."

"I see, so you noticed the fire doors. As expected from an Ultimate––Oops… you still don't remember your own talent yet, do you?" Nagito apologized.

"T…That doesn't matter right now…!" Hajime stuttered out.

"Nagito. What is the meaning of this? You are putting up a lot of resistance for someone who is not the culprit." Peko accused.

"You don't have to speak in such a scary voice. When you're mad, remember - take deep breaths!" Nagito hummed.

"Are you ever gonna shut the fuck up? Do you need some help with that?!" Fuyuhiko growled.

"Hey! I don't mind fighting, but not violent fighting that pulls in unrelated parties! And would you just decide on a culprit, already? You know, if this gets boring, I can just add a time limit…" Monokuma sighed.

"Alright… So. Time for me to hand over the baton, is it?" Nagito sighed sadly.

"H…Hand over the baton?" Sonia questioned.

"It's time for the real culprit, not a fake like me, to make their appearance!" Nagito clarified.

"Ku… I'd say you probably are the culprit." Nekomaru muttered.

"If that's what you think, I don't mind. I'm going to accept any conclusion you guys make, as long as it's one all of you Ultimate's reach together." Nagito told them happily.

"But…We still have no idea who that could be…" Mizuki sadly admitted, holding her hands together over her chest.

"Actually…I…Have a suspicion." Hajime admitted, "But…I don't want to say yet. It's too loose of a theory right now."

"We don't have a lot of time ya know! Just spill it!" Hiyoko demanded.

"No, I'm through with just blindly accusing people in this room!" Mizuki argued back, shooting Hiyoko a look, "If Hajime's guess is wrong and we spend another 20 minutes or so pursuing it it could be too late. Let's try and get one fact here straight first and see if that makes it any more sure, something that threw us off of convicting Nagito…" Mizuki looked around, "What was the murder weapon? We know it wasn't the knife…But what else was lying around that would fit the criteria of Mikan's autopsy report?"

"The weapon… can't have been the knife, can it?" Nekomaru admitted.

"Judging from Byakuya's wounds… it was a thin sharp object about 5 millimeters in diameter…" Mikan repeated, hoping it would help.

"And what is more, to have inflicted such mortal wounds through the floor, it cannot have been shorter than 50 centimeters…" Gundham added.

"Something so long and thin, but sharp enough to stab through someone…Something that is still missing…" Hajime puzzled, then light came to his eyes, "The missing skewer."

"Eh?! A missing skewer?!" Mahiru exclaimed.

"A skewer would fit the parameters perfectly…" Mikan agreed.

"Before the party started, when he was confiscating everything, Byakuya had this conversation with Teruteru when he was looking for dangerous items…He said that based on what he had confiscated, 4 steel skewers, one was missing from the set of five, and Teruteru informed him that it had been missing from the start." Mizuki's head shot up and eyes widened at this.

"…Hajime, could you repeat that last part?"

"…About the skewer being missing from the start? Teruteru said that he was surprised it was the only thing missing." Hajime reported.

"…Can I make a guess on who you were going to name the Culprit? Because if it is who I think it is…We now have more than enough evidence to name them." Mizuki stated, deadly serious, "It was Teruteru, right?"

"Wha-wha-whaaaa?!" Teruteru exclaimed flabbergasted, "What are you talking about?! Of course Hajime didn't suspect—!"

"No, she's right…You were the person I wanted to talk about. But why are you so sure about it Mizuki?" Hajime questioned curiously.

"Because…He lied to the both of you." Mizuki answered.

"…Huh?" Both Hajime and Teruteru spoke at once.

"I believe I told you when we were searching the kitchen, and we all came upon that list…You remember what I said, right Hajime?" Mizuki replied seriously, eyes trained on Teruteru.

"You said…Wait, you said that you and Teruteru were really surprised EVERYTHING was there…"

"That's right. We checked. Absolutely nothing was missing when we first arrived. Though, when I went to put the meat on the skewers, I couldn't find the fifth one. I was really worried about it as I didn't want anyone to get mad at me, but Teruteru told me I shouldn't worry about it. We still had plenty of skewers for the meat he had prepared. So, I shrugged it off and didn't think about it." Mizuki narrated, "But Teruteru wouldn't have had any reason to lie to you both about it having been missing the whole time!"

"Who said I was lying?! I-I just forgot it was there, that's all!" Teruteru asserted, "Why would you try to pin this on me?! After I invited you into the kitchen with me!"

"I'm not trying to pin anything on you, but you and I were the only two that knew about that skewer missing at the end but being there at the beginning!" Mizuki retorted.

"So you're saying you're just as suspicious as me then!"

"I'm not the one who lied about what is probably the murder weapon!"

"And that's not the only suspicious thing…" Hajime interjected, "There were reasons I was suspecting you before we got to all of this."

"O-O-Oh yeah? Well I'd like to hear what they are! I don't get why you're treating m-me like a culprit based on what Mizuki says! Biyuki is far more suspicious than me and we all know it! She could have been faking that fear and Mizuki's backing her up! Mizuki knows Biyuki did it probably and that's why she's facing the blame to me!" Teruteru accused.

"Biyuki wasn't even allowed in the kitchen. Ever." Hajime countered, "Mizuki and yourself both told us as much, with Mizuki saying she would shove her out if she saw her anywhere near there and your story about Mizuki-which is something Biyuki wouldn't have stood for and I'm not gonna repeat right now. Not only did the murder weapon go missing from the kitchen…but…the portable stove that was used as a light was in the kitchen as well."

"T…T…That's why you think I'm the culprit?! That's just arbitrary!" Teruteru asserted, "It's cruel! You're far too cruel!" He sniffled.

"Ah… Teruteru… This isn't like you at all." Nagito bemoaned, "You're in possession of a wonderful talent… You're an Ultimate Cook. You can't just break apart like that…"

"C…Chef… I'm a Chef…"

"If you succumb to these dubious aspersions, who's going to hold the culinary world together?" Nagito questioned.

"T…The culinary world…?"

"Yes! For the sake of the future of cuisine, pull yourself together, and face the accusations!"

"T…That's right… Yes, you're right…!" Teruteru agreed, looking determined.

"By the way, what's an 'aspersion'? Does it taste good?" Akane questioned curiously.

"Asbestos is also excellent, you know. How about you try some later?" Hiyoko suggested. Mizuki shot her a small glare.

"You really want two deaths don't ya?" She muttered.

"Nagito… Why are you poking your nose into this?!" Hajime questioned.

"Let's assume the culprit did use light. And let's assume they used the fire doors to mask their actions… That would get them to the storage room and then allow them to crawl under the floor. But what then? The crawlspace is completely dark too. How did they manage to stab Byakuya?" Nagito inquired, "Don't try to tell me they had the stove on as they stabbed. If they did that, the target would spot them, and the game would be up!"

"T…That's right… What do you have to say about that?!" Teruteru wondered.

"Actually, I have to mention something here unfortunately." Biyuki mentioned, "The crawlspace isn't exactly 'completely dark' I don't think, even with the power in the hall out. It would still be really dark, but as Chiaki, Gundham, and I can all tell ya, the wooden fencing is not solid panels. It has holes that can let in moonlight and starlight. They still wouldn't be able to tell what was going on where inside, but it would have been a cinch to maneuver around in, if the argument has anything to do with the time it would have taken."

"Wonderful deduction Biyuki!~ With such an eye for detail it's no wonder you're the Ultimate Artist!~" Nagito praised, "And no, I'm talking more about how they would have seen the target and successfully stabbed I'm sorry to say. So, do you have an answer for that one Hajime?~"

"T…That's…"

"You can't answer, can you? After all… you never investigated the crawlspace yourself, did you?" Nagito sighed.

"We can ask Gundham and Biyuki! They've actually been in there!" Mahiru pointed out.

"…Regrettably, nothing remained of the murderer's paraphernalia in that dark dimension… All was void, save for a ghostly phosphorescence around the blood pooled on the floor…" Gundham informed them.

"Yeah, no murder weapon, no light, only blood and the glow-y stuff Gundham mentioned." Biyuki agreed.

"W…What?! Did you say… there was light there?!" Mahiru inquired.

"That sounds super-important!" Ibuki hummed.

"If there was a 'glowing landmark', it was possible to find that location even during the blackout." Sonia agreed.

"And after they moved to the designated location, they could target what that landmark was attached to, couldn't they?" Chiaki agreed.

"The landmark…was the glow-in-the-dark paint the knife was painted with, wasn't it?" Hajime suggested.

"Ah! Even in the dark, all they'd have to do is aim for the glow-in-the-dark paint!" Nekomaru agreed.

"Of course… the culprit didn't aim for a person… They aimed for the paint when it moved!" Hiyoko giggled out.

"That would be the moment someone took hold of the knife, wouldn't it?" Sonia deduced.

"So… the same landmark I prepared so I could find the knife was used by the culprit for his attack…I see… and that's why Byakuya, who took the knife, was killed…" Nagito sighed.

"But, if the culprit used that landmark, it would mean they knew about Nagito's plan, wouldn't it?" Chiaki reasoned.

"More than that…It means whoever the culprit is didn't mean to stab Byakuya, they were aiming for Nagito the whole time." Mizuki pointed out.

"What do you have to say to that, Teruteru?!" Nekomaru questioned forcefully.

"I… I know nothing… I really know nothing, I'm telling you…" Teruteru pleaded.

"In that case, how about I pose a question for everyone?" Nagito requested.

"W…Why are you butting in again?! Give us a break, already!" Mahiru growled.

"Now, now! It's only fair to give everyone a chance to speak!" Teruteru shot back.

"Course you say that when it's convenient for you, even though I agree…His life is as much at stake as ours, he has a right to talk." Biyuki pointed out.

"Let's say Teruteru is the culprit. That would mean he went to the storage room during the blackout. In that case, what was that conversation Ibuki heard in the dark?" Nagito questioned.

 **Teruteru: Hey, everyone! Where are you? T…This power outage… it isn't just in the kitchen?**

 **Mizuki: Why in the world would a power outage just be in the kitch-OW!**

 **Mikan: A-Are you hurt? I-I c-can try t-to make my w-way over and h-he-AAAH!**

"She heard Teruteru's voice… in the hall?" Peko questioned.

"That's right…I responded to him…" Mizuki recalled, biting her lip.

"I think that proves Teruteru was in the big hall during the blackout…" Nagito stated.

"T…That's right! That's exactly right!" Teruteru agreed.

"But, when the lights went out you were in the kitchen, weren't you? So… how did you get to the hall?" Mahiru questioned.

"I…I thought the power outage was only in the kitchen, so I left it in a panic… The corridors were dark as well, of course… so I followed everyone's voices and used the walls as a guide to move." Teruteru answered.

"Hmm… It's certainly possible to move from the kitchen to the halls by following the walls… but…" Nekomaru trailed off.

"…Something stinks here!" Akane muttered.

"You can tell that someone is lying by licking their sweat, can't you, Akane? In that case, come here and lick me!~" Teruteru requested.

"I don't wanna! You're greasy!" Akane grumbled.

"But, Ibuki definitely heard Teruteru-chan's voice in the hall! Ibuki's entire character setup hangs on that!" Ibuki asserted.

"That's right, Teruteru wasn't in the storage room. He was in the hall. In other words… he can't have been the culprit." Nagito told them.

"…No, that's not what it means." Hajime muttered.

"Huh?!" Akane wondered.

"…Hajime, I even replied to him…Thinking back there was no doubt it was him. Maybe we should let this one go after all." Mizuki admitted sadly.

"No, I can't." Hajime retorted.

"W…Why…?" Teruteru wondered shakily, "Why do you keep making all these accusations against me?! Even Mizuki who started this whole mess has admitted her wrong-doing!"

"It's not like I have anything against you… I just…" Hajime trailed off.

"Hajime, you should be more confident in yourself. You're following the hope you believe in, after all…" Nagito told him, "That's it, Hajime… show me more of your hope. Your hope… against Teruteru's. Whose will prevail?" Nagito smirked before beginning the discussion, "First, let me ask once more…Was Teruteru in the storage room during the blackout?"

"O…Of course I wasn't in the storage room! I was in a different place at that time!" Teruteru answered quickly.

"Ibuki heard Teruteru-chan's voice!" Ibuki confirmed, "A beautiful voice, unfit for his face!"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Teruteru asked, offended.

"Maybe it was a recorded voice?" Mahiru suggested.

"If it was recorded… …we could have heard it even if he was somewhere else!" Sonia agreed.

"Plus Teruteru never did actually respond to me when I talked…" Mizuki admitted, "But then again I immediately fell over and Mikan came to help me so I suppose that isn't a lot to go on…"

"No, it was definitely a live voice!" Ibuki denied.

"As long as that testimony exists…You cannot deny I was at the hall!" Teruteru asserted.

"Actually…The fact we heard Teruteru's voice in the hall doesn't prove that he was actually in the hall." Hajime stated.

"Eh? W…Why…?"

"Think about the floor in the hall… There are massive gaps all over it, aren't there…?" Hajime recalled, "Which means, even if you spoke from under the floor, it would still sound like you were in the room with us."

"…Abebabeba?!" Teruteru exclaimed.

"I see… by speaking from under the floor, he tried to leave the impression he was there with us." Peko considered.

"…Is that right, Teruteru?" Mahiru questioned.

"W-W-W-Wait just a minute…" Teruteru plead.

"W…What's the meaning of this, Teruteru?!" Mikan inquired.

"I TOL' YA T' WAI' MINUTE!" Teruteru shouted.

"Hyaaaaaaaaa?!" Mikan exclaimed, everyone looking at him shocked.

"Y'IDIOTS'VE NO 'DEA WHA'YA TALK' 'NABOUT! I'S'IN TH'ALL TH'OLE TIME DUR'N 'BLACKOUT!"

"…Where did you say you were born?" Hiyoko inquired suspiciously.

"I'S BORN'N NISHI-AZABU N'RAISED'N MINAMI-AOYAMA!"

"Hey, everyone! This guy's totally a liar!~" Hiyoko chirped.

"…If Teruteru was in the hall during the blackout, he should still have been there when the lights came back on, right?" Chiaki commented.

"Yep, that sounds right. He can't have been walking back and forth in the dark." Nagito confirmed.

"Eh? Was…Teruteru there at that time?" Mahiru questioned.

"That was actually something that bothered me when Ibuki first told us what she'd heard…I was fairly sure Teruteru wasn't there when the lights came back on…But I thought I'd just been too distracted and my ADHD was playing tricks on me, so I didn't want to say anything…" Mizuki mentioned, "Though…Because of my ADHD I can't say for certain that's NOT what happened either…"

"I…I's…. I's def'n'tly there…Y'r mind's b' playin' tricks 'n y'."

"We can't leave this to faint memories and gut feelings, can we? I mean, a man's life is on the line…" Nagito pointed out.

"E's righ'! Yer' stup'd mem'rys're worth nuthin'! Y'ain't 'sidin' nuthin like'at!"

"H…He's definitely lying! His speech's getting worse by the minute!" Hiyoko accused.

"But… I am not at all confident about this. I have a feeling he was there… but I feel like he also wasn't…" Sonia muttered.

"Wait a second. There's someone-maybe two someones-here that would have known better." Hajime noticed, looking to Kazuichi and Biyuki, "Kazuichi, B-Yanii, you came in not long after the blackout was over. Did you see Teruteru?"

"…I wish I could help, I really do…I feel like most of what I've been doing this whole time has just been confirming what others say and defending myself, I wish I could make more of a contribution…" Biyuki muttered, "But I was far too focused on Mizuki's wellbeing to have paid attention to if he was there or not…Sorry…"

"And I wasn't exactly counting heads either…" Kazuichi agreed.

"I have to side with Nagito though, not just because Teruteru's life is on the line, but all of ours too. If he's not the killer…We all go down with him…" Mizuki mentioned, "It's not right to vote him if we can't prove it…"

"Nuuuuuu…! Isn't there a way to tell for sure?!" Nekomaru suggested.

"…Maybe we should test his memory?" Chiaki suggested.

"His… memory…?" Hajime wondered.

"Hey, y'there. Qui' sayin's wor'less'ings! 'Think y'c'n prov'wasn' there?!"

"…I think we can." Hajime agreed.

"Gege…! You'gain?!"

"If you really was in the hall when the power came back on…you should know all about what happened to Mikan, shouldn't you?!" Hajime pointed out.

"W…Wha?!" Teruteru exclaimed.

"Hiyu! Please don't remind me! I…It's too embarrassing!" Mikan pleaded.

"No, this is an important question…How about it, Teruteru! You should be able to answer this if you really were in the hall!" Hajime asserted.

"Eh? Eh? Uuuuum?" Teruteru stuttered.

"Think about it. It's the thing that definitely distracted me from being sure if you were there or not." Mizuki agreed.

"I may not remember if he was there, but I DEFINITELY remember that…" Biyuki grumbled.

"That unique way of falling is not something one can forget easily." Hajime agreed.

"Fuah… I'm sorry… I'm sorry for making you watch this deplorable sight!" Mikan apologized.

"H…How about it?! Can you answer, Teruteru-chan?!" Ibuki demanded.

"Um… um… Huh? Oh? That's peculiar… It seems I've forgotten all about it…!" Teruteru chuckled out.

"Someone like you, forget this…? I don't think so." Mahiru huffed.

"Yeah, a perv like you would have been filing this into his spank folder for years…" Biyuki accused.

"Well…Um… but, nevertheless… N-Nagitooooo! Say something!" Teruteru plead.

"No… I think you have no choice but to give up…" Nagito sighed.

"Wha… Give up…? What do you mean by… 'give up'…?" Teruteru shakily asked.

"Teruteru… You're not the only one who's disappointed. I am too." Nagito told him in an almost soothing voice, "It's sad to see someone I respect reach the limits of their hope. I had such expectations… and you're dashing them."

"Nagito… What the hell's wrong with you?! Why do you keep siding with the culprit and then turning on them…?!" Hajime wondered.

"W-W-WAI'SEC'N! QUI'CALL'N ME'CULPRIT!"

"Eh? But it's decided already, isn't it?" Nagito pointed out.

"D…D-D-D-D… Y-Y-Y… Y'ST'AIN'SCOVAW'RTHAM'DWEP'N'S!" Teruteru suddenly shouted.

"That's it. I can't understand anything anymore!" Hiyoko gave in.

"He seems to be saying you still haven't discovered where the murder weapon is!" Monomi translated.

"You understand him?!" Ibuki exclaimed.

"But, that's a sad quarrel… It's too much…" Monomi sighed, sniffling.

"AAAAAAAA'F'IMAC'PW'T'NT'LMWHE'WE'N'S!"

"Hey, Monomi… Translate it for us, would you?" Mahiru suggested.

"U…Um… 'If you think I'm the culprit, then tell me where the weapon is'." Monomi translated.

"Well, we know for certain it's the missing skewer…" Biyuki commented.

"Oi, Teruteru! Where did you hide that skewer?!" Akane demanded.

"A…aa…aaaaaaaa… Avri'lavin!"

"'Avril Lavigne'!"

"Eh?! Just like that?!" Ibuki exclaimed.

"He's just trying to confuse us by saying nonsense! You dumped that skewer somewhere on the island, right?!" Fuyuhiko demanded.

"No, it is against the field trip rules to litter. If someone broke that rule, loud sirens would have gone off all around the island…" Monomi corrected.

"Loud sirens…? It's only littering! Bit harsh, don't you think?!" Kazuichi commented.

"I like it. We should be kind to the earth just like each other." Mizuki hummed, "Also it really helps narrow down what could have happened to the weapon!~"

"Get over your holding hands bullshit, will ya?" Fuyuhiko muttered.

"Also…Teruteru didn't leave the lodge even once. I was guarding the entrance, so I can tell." Chiaki told them.

"In other words… the skewer must be hidden somewhere inside the lodge…" Peko muttered, "It must have been hidden before and after the murder so that Byakuya and we did not find it…"

"It's probably somewhere back in the kitchen!" Hiyoko suggested.

"If it was hidden there beforehand, then Mizuki, you should know where it is right? You were with him the whole time!" Mahiru suggested.

"Unfortunately, no…We weren't together the whole time, occasionally I needed to clean up some dishes to help along while he went to find a recipe or retrieve ingredients, or sometimes I was retrieving things while he cooked. There were quite a few times I was gone that he would have been free to hide it without my knowledge…And during one he obviously did." Mizuki sighed.

"Teruteru… How about acting like a man and confessing?" Nekomaru requested.

"O…O…O…O…Oooooooo…" Teruteru moaned out, "UNC'RTULODFUMPK'NSSK'URDK'OPTHO'LMEUTHSSKUT!"

"'Uncultured bumpkins should keep their mouths shut!'… is what he seems to be saying." Monomi told them.

"It seems we have to do something to stop him after all…" Hajime muttered, "If the weapon was a skewer, it makes most sense to hide it in the kitchen. But…Byakuya and me searched the place thoroughly before the party started, and Mizuki was in the kitchen with him a lot beforehand…In other words… it was already hidden in a place where none of us could find it at that time."

"Somewhere we wouldn't think to look…" Mizuki puzzled, "Where would that be? Where can you hide something as long as a skewer?"

"I have to figure it out…!" Hajime determined.

"D'AMNETHD'CKAN'TH'CK!"

"'I am not hiding anything'… probably!"

"Y'HAV'NEID'WHOLOTH'WOAP'N'S!"

"…It starts with 'You have no idea who' and then I think that last word is 'Weapons' but I am not sure on the middle part. I think 'lost those' maybe?" Monomi attempted. Teruteru was yelling for a long time, as Hajime puzzled and thought over everything in the kitchen before Teruteru asked, in a clear voice:

"You have no idea where the weapon is!" And suddenly the answer hit Hajime like a ton of bricks.

"You hid the skewer… inside that meat-on-a-bone, didn't you?!" Hajime accused.

"W-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w! W…What are you talking about…? There's no way I'd hide a weapon somewhere like…" Teruteru tried to defend.

"H…How is that even possible?! It's inside food!" Akane exclaimed.

"Yeah…Byakuya and I also thought it was impossible… and that's why we overlooked it." Hajime agreed, "And since Mizuki wasn't the one in charge of everything, she wouldn't have gone messing with food dishes unless she was told to, even if she was looking for the missing skewer."

"That's right…I didn't want to mess anything up…" Mizuki agreed.

"If you think that way… Inside the food was the only place no one checked. It's the only possibility left for the hiding place…It wasn't under the crawlspace, by the crime scene, in the kitchen anywhere that we could see, and he couldn't dump it. So food is the only thing left…" Hajime muttered, "And of all the dishes they made, the only one big enough to hold a long metal skewer…besides the meat skewers that they set out that is…is that huge meat-on-a-bone!"

"I…IS THAT TRUUUUUUUUE?!" Nekomaru screamed.

"I…I exercise my right to remain silent!" Teruteru shouted.

"You don't have one!" Hiyoko shot back.

"Unless you want to be silent all the way til we vote you in, since it's pretty suspicious you don't want to say anything." Biyuki hummed.

"No, I don't think it's smart to vote on him without being sure." Mizuki defended.

"I…In that case, we must check ourselves!" Ibuki asserted.

"Yes, let's eat that delicious-looking meat. If we find the skewer there… bingo!" Akane agreed with a smile.

"Alright! Monomi, Monokuma, anyone – go grab us that meat and bring it here!" Kazuichi demanded.

"One minute… I'll destroy that whole thing in just one minute!~" Akane drooled.

"W-W-Wait just one moment! Time out! Time out!" Teruteru requested.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! BRING THAT MEAT OVER HERE NOW!" Nekomaru yelled.

"Ah… About that…" Monomi trailed off, everyone looking to see Monokuma had vanished.

"…Huh…? Where did Monokuma go?" Mahiru wondered.

"I'm right here…!" Monokuma told them, everyone looking over to see the bear devouring the food, "Om nom nom… I decided to get ahead of the game!"

"GYAAAA! THE BEAR IS EATING MEAT!" Ibuki shouted then looking thoughtful, "…Well, actually, that's not really so strange, huh?"

"Grom nom nom… This is so delicious." Monokuma hummed.

"Damn it! That's my meat you're eating!" Akane complained.

"I've never eaten like this before…! The taste brings back memories of my life in the wild…"

"Just like with Byakuya, I have to wonder why we can't just pull OUT the skewer to see if it's in there…?" Mizuki sighed, crossing her arms.

"Because I said so, that's WHY toots!"

"T-Toots?!"

"S-S-S-S-S-Stop! Really, stop right now!" Teruteru demanded.

"Oh? There's something inside this meat…" Monokuma finally hummed, pulling out a long skewer with a bone handle, "Look what I found!"

"T…That's…!" Ibuki stuttered.

"It's a steel skewer, isn't it…?" Sonia sighed.

"Ah, he made the bone into a grip. That's pretty elaborate." Chiaki commented.

"It is a Sword of Doom, with a bone hilt and a meat sheath! He used it to bring catastrophe upon Byakuya!" Gundham determined.

"I expected nothing less from Teruteru! This is definitely a fantastic weapon, appropriate for a chef!" Nagito complimented.

"Y…You're wrong… I'm not the culprit… I'm not someone… who would ever kill anyone…" Teruteru sniffled, "I get it! It's all your doing! You're just trying to frame me!"

"…Sigh… this is disheartening…" Nagito sighed, "Struggling like this is unbecoming for an Ultimate student like you… You can't call that 'hope' at all, can you?"

"Hey, Nagito… I'm sorry, but can you please stop talking?" Chiaki requested, Nagito becoming silent, the quiet hanging in the air before Teruteru burst out again.

"Y'ULOARR'FUNSTEBS'VAGOSWHEENRY'ATINST'INLOCH'ULANKS!"

"You're all a bunch of savages who only eat at chain restaurants!"

"Y…You can stop translating now… I think we all get the general idea!" Mahiru comforted.

"OV'LYEN'JUCHSK'TTH'BUNG'P!"

"…That translation stop may have been premature." Biyuki muttered.

"Never the less…I think to be completely certain…We need to go over the whole incident from start to end, right?" Hajime suggested.

"Alright then, go ahead." Mizuki told him.

"Wha-? Why me?" Hajime wondered.

"Because you suggested it, now stop whining." Biyuki muttered, crossing her arms and laying her head on her arms.

"Fine…Let's begin right after the party started." Hajime relented, "We'd all gathered at the big hall in the old lodge after Byakuya called us there. Someone had warned Byakuya that there would be a murder tonight, and so he set about trying to prevent it from happening. He decided to throw a party, so he could get all of us in one place and watch over us. Then, even though not everyone was present… the party began. But, at that time, a certain person's plan was already in motion. They plugged in three irons in the storage room, and brought the power supply in the old lodge close to its limit. In addition, they set up something to turn on at 11:30PM. That was the air conditioners in the big hall and the office. They set their timers so they would turn on automatically. When that happened, the air conditioners and the irons drew so much power between them that they tripped the circuit breakers."

Hajime turned and looked around the room, pausing before continuing.

"With the power off and the windows perfectly sealed, the lodge was thrown into total darkness. But Byakuya was prepared for this. He reached into the duralumin case he had with him…and took out a pair of night-vision goggles. It was just one item from the range of defense goods Byakuya brought to the party in preparation." Hajime stated, "Having put on the goggles, Byakuya witnessed a certain person behaving suspiciously…" Hajime turned and pointed to Nagito.

"Nagito followed the power cord of a tabletop lamp, and crawled under a table." Hajime narrated.

"That's right. Up until now, everything had gone exactly according to Nagito's plan. Both the warning letter and the blackout were planned by him." Mizuki agreed with a nod.

"At the same time… in the kitchen which had also gone dark, another person – the true culprit – started working." Hajime continued, "The culprit most likely knew about Nagito's plan, and that the power was going to drop…That's why they had already prepared everything they needed to commit their murder in the darkness."

"First, a light… that was the portable stove that was in the kitchen."

"Then, a weapon… that was also something they had hidden in the kitchen. A steel skewer used for Churrasco dishes. The culprit hid one inside a large meat on a bone, while Mizuki was most likely out on an errand."

Mizuki looked down as she gave a small nod, looking very sad.

"The culprit picked up the stove and the weapon, and exited to the lodge's corridor… There, he closed the fire doors so the light he was holding wouldn't leak into the rest of the lodge. Then, the culprit headed to the storage room, where they acquired one more thing…" Hajime considered, "A tablecloth they used to evade blood splatters. Having finished their preparations, the culprit used a trap door to sneak into the crawlspace under the big hall. They must have turned off the portable stove at that point, or left it by the trap door…"

"The hall's floor was full of gaps, and they couldn't move around still holding a light source." Mahiru inferred.

"Exactly. Then, the culprit used glow-in-the-dark paint as a landmark, and managed to reach the spot under the table. At that point, Byakuya found the knife that was hidden under the table… Had Byakuya walked away at this point, he surely would've been spared, but…he decided to retrieve the knife. And at that exact moment…!"

"The culprit hiding in the crawlspace thrust the steel skewer up through the floor!" Gundham interrupted, "They were aiming for the moment the haunting glow moved in the pure darkness."

"Then, having killed Byakuya, the culprit raised their voice deliberately, and created an alibi for themselves. They then quickly left the crawlspace and hurried back to the kitchen. Then, after hiding the tools they used, they mixed with the rest of us, feigning innocence." Hajime finished.

"There's only one person who could have done all that…" Mizuki muttered, looking to Teruteru.

"Someone who could think of such a peculiar hiding place for a weapon…" Chiaki agreed, looking over.

"Isn't that so… Teruteru Hanamura?!" Hajime accused, "That's the whole truth… How about it? Have I got something wrong?"

"S…Something wrong…? There's n…no way I'd ever kill… No… way…" Teruteru tried to talk, then starting to tear up and beginning to cry, "Uuuuu… uuuuuuu….Waaaaaaaaaaaaaah…!"

"It seems this is over." Peko determined, crossing her arms and closing her eyes.

"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!" Teruteru continued to cry.

"Grrah… It seems you bastards have reached your conclusion." Monokuma growled out, then blinking and tilting his head, "Oops! It looks like my wild side peeked out. Is this because of that meat I ate? …But let's leave the jokes for later, and begin our nerve-wracking voting time! Well, then. Please use the switches in front of you to vote! Ah, and let me warn you just in case… You have to vote! No exceptions!" Monokuma took his claws out and his eye shone, "If someone doesn't vote… I'll eat them just like I ate that meat…"

"Uuu…! W…Why would you…?!" Monomi started before she was interrupted once more by Monokuma.

"Who will be voted the culprit?! Will they get it right, or wrong?! Upupupupu! Isn't this super-exciting?!" Everyone looked down at their boards, most immediately pressing Teruteru, but some hesitating before reluctantly pressing it with heavy hearts, Teruteru being the only one who voted Nagito instead as he sobbed, but the vote still rang true, picking Teruteru as the culprit.

"You guys are absolutely right! That's right! The culprit who kicked off the mutual killing by killing Byakuya was Teruteru Hanamura!" Monokuma announced.

"Aba.. abababababa…!" Teruteru cried, practically foaming at the mouth.

"S…Seriously…?! Of all the people… someone like you killed Byakuya?" Fuyuhiko growled, unable to believe someone like him could have done it.

"B…but…" Nekomaru stuttered out, "WHYYYY?! WHY DID YOU KILL HIM?!"

"Y…You're all wrong… all wrong…" Teruteru sniffled out, "I…I was just trying to save everybody…I was trying to stop Nagito's plan to murder someone!"

"…Eh? What do you mean… 'Stop him'?" Hajime wondered. They all turned to Nagito, who remained silent, before looking back to a trembling Teruteru.

"I…I had been hanging out in the lodge since morning, making preparations with Mizuki…I had just sent the dear out to go find me a few choice seasonings that I thought would make the dishes really stand out, and she had happily run out for them…a…and then… I heard a strange laughing voice coming from the big hall… and when I peeked in there…I saw him. Nagito, who was on cleaning duty, was hiding a knife under the table…!" Teruteru explained, "I…I had a bad feeling, so I kept coming up with reasons for me and Mizuki to not need to be together as I cooked, and continued to watch him from the shadows…He took some irons into the storage room, and then set up the air conditioner timers…And he was snickering to himself the entire time…! S…So I decided to confront him…But when I did… he…!"

"… _Ah, seems I've been caught." Nagito chirped._

" _C…Caught…?" Teruteru stuttered, "What have you been doing? What is the meaning of this?!"_

" _Isn't it obvious? I'm planning to kill someone." Nagito admitted easily._

"… _Eh?"_

" _Teruteru… Let me make this clear from the outset. It's useless to try to stop me. Even if you manage to stop me this time, I am not going to give up. If not tonight, it'll happen tomorrow. Or the day after. I don't care how long it takes… I will start this mutual killing… no matter what."_

" _B…But why? Do you really want out of here so badly…?!"_

"… _I see… Yeah. I can see why you might think that…" Nagito admitted, "But that's not it at all. I don't even expect to survive this ordeal. All I want… The only thing I want… is to get this mutual killing going." Nagito smiled wide and got the crazy look in his eyes as Teruteru took a step back._

" _W…What are you saying…?"_

" _I love everyone here. That's why I want to be of help. I love every one of you 'Ultimate' students. I revere 'the symbols of hope'." Nagito explained easily, "That's right… I love the talents on which everyone's hopes are pinned… I love them from the bottom of my heart. And that's why…I don't want you to lose to something like mutual killing. I want to prove that no matter how much despair stands in the way, hope will always win in the end!" He began to smile wider, "I want to prove to everyone that hope cannot possibly lose to despair!"_

" _Y…You're making no sense at all…!" Teruteru whimpered, shaking as he watched the madness engulf Nagito. Nagito sighed as he seemed to calm down a bit, smiling happily at him as he began to explain._

" _You know how the stronger our enemy is the stronger we ourselves become…? That's something you hear a lot, isn't it? In other words… the stronger the despair that stands in its way, the stronger everyone's hope becomes. Isn't that so?" Nagito explained, "I… I want to see that kind of hope shining bright. And to that end… I want to become a stepping stone for everyone. I want to make your hope shine… That's all there is to it…" Nagito's smile suddenly turned much more insane than it had been before, the spiral of hope and despair deep in his eyes, "That's right… the thing I desire is the strongest hope – the hope that can crush all despair!"_

" _Y…You're joking, right…? There's no way you can be serious about that…!" Teruteru yelled. Nagito sighed, the madness leaving as he seemed sad that the other didn't understand, and maybe a tad disappointed before giving a gentle knowing smile._

" _So you don't get it after all… It's fine. I don't mind…I don't mind if my love is one sided. I'm somewhat of a die-hard fan, you see. Perhaps you should even call me an 'Ultimate Ultimate Fanboy'!~"_

" _S…Something's not right in your head!"_

" _Is that what you think? You think… I'm a little crazy?" Nagito hummed as he stepped forward, causing Teruteru to step back again as Nagito gave a warmhearted chuckle, "But… isn't that what love is all about?~" Teruteru trembled as Nagito leaned forward and smiled sweetly at him before both turned curiously at the sound of footsteps and an opening door, seeing Mizuki walk through._

" _Teruteru, I'm back with th-! Oh, hi guys! Did I miss something?" Mizuki questioned, tilting her head confused._

" _No, sorry! Me and Teruteru were just having a little chat. He's all yours~" Nagito comforted, turning and going back to cleaning_.

"N…Nagito… what's the meaning of this?" Hajime demanded, "Explain yourself! That story made no sense at all!" Nagito smiled softly.

"Compare it to your favorite boxer. You want see him keep struggling against strong opponents, don't you?~"

"Are you trying to fucking tell us that's somehow the same?!" Fuyuhiko shouted.

"…Eh? Is that so strange?" Nagito wondered, tilting his head, "I mean… trials are indispensable for getting stronger, and the more rigorous the trial the stronger one gets. Isn't that common sense? This mutual killing… would be nothing but disaster for regular, worthless people, but…For people of worth, like all of you, it is a trial that can serve to make them worth even more. The fact that someone like myself, with no exceptional talent at all, can become part of that trial… is wonderful!~ It would be impossible for someone like me to survive this… but it would be so much more worthwhile to die helping everyone achieve greatness!"

"Don't say that!" Mizuki shouted, tears in her eyes, "Y-you shouldn't say that!"

"Why not?~ There is no greater honor than to become the foundation from which you guys can grow even more worthwhile!~" Nagito chirped cheerfully.

"T…That's enough… Honestly… I'm getting nauseated…" Kazuichi whimpered.

"Y…You're making no sense! You're doing all of this for kicks?!" Mahiru accused.

"No…He's-he thinks he's helping by giving us challenges so we can become better versions of ourselves…Throwing himself down so that we can all grow to be better…" Biyuki muttered, looking away.

"Exactly!~ I'm glad someone here can understand~ The shameless idea of leaving everyone alone and simply trying to survive our ordeal had never even crossed my mind." Nagito admitted.

"Is that why… you didn't care when Teruteru found out what you were doing?" Hajime inquired.

"I think… it was part of his plan all along. Don't you agree?" Chiaki thought aloud.

"…Eh?" Teruteru questioned.

"Nagito wanted to get us tangled in mutual killing… and for the mystery to be as complicated as possible… And to do that… he arranged it so Teruteru would find him out, didn't he?" Chiaki mentioned, "He hoped… to give Teruteru a motive… and cause him to complicate the mystery even further…"

"Yeah, that's about right. I certainly hoped that would happen. That's why I also told him about the trap door I found when I was cleaning the storage room…" Nagito admitted.

"…That was also you?" Gundham wondered, alarmed.

"I just mentioned it to him casually. I warned him to be careful not to fall in…" Nagito explained, "But he really ran with it~ Made for a wonderful mystery! Alas…It is sad to see Teruteru's hope crushed, yet so wonderful to see you all grow with it!"

"Uuuuuuuu…" Teruteru cried.

"That's… You're… utterly… mental…" Kazuichi muttered.

"T…That's right! That's why I decided to stop him!" Teruteru asserted.

"Then, why did you kill Byakuya in the end?" Sonia questioned.

"I…I have no idea!" Teruteru told them, "Nagito was supposed to be the one who grabbed the knife! T…That's why I waited for that moment to thrust the skewer… So why did Byakuya die?! It was supposed to be Nagito!"

"Byakuya… wanted to keep Nagito away from the knife…So… he took Nagito's place and…" Hajime reasoned, looking away.

"…No. I don't think that's what happened." Chiaki interjected.

"…Eh?" Hajime wondered.

"I'm sure… that Byakuya tried to protect Nagito." Chiaki stated.

"W…What was that?!" Nekomaru exclaimed.

"I mean… didn't Byakuya say so himself?" Chiaki recalled, "'Don't worry. As long as I'm your leader, there will not be a single victim.'"

"Y…You mean… that in order to keep that promise…?" Mikan stuttered.

"Don't forget…He had the night-vision goggles… I think he could see that someone was moving under the floor. And also… that that someone was aiming for Nagito." Chiaki explained.

"A…Are you saying that Byakuya gave his own life to protect Nagito? Even though he had just been going for a weapon?" Mahiru wondered.

"B-Byakuya…" Mizuki sniffled, tears roaming freely down her cheeks as her body shook.

"I see… He sure was amazing, Byakuya… He gave up his own life just so he could fulfill his promise to protect everyone…Sigh… and even though he tried so hard… We still arrived at this despair-inducing conclusion!" Nagito exclaimed.

"…Wha?!" Hajime exclaimed.

"But… we mustn't let his death go to waste. I'm sure that overcoming this despair is going to make everyone grow stronger again…" Nagito hummed happily.

"Don't tell me… you knew Byakuya would protect you when you enacted your plan?" Peko accused.

"…Of course not. I'm not that good with plans. I simply took many measures beforehand. I was looking forward to finding out exactly what the final product of it all would be…What actually happened went beyond my wildest expectations. I even got to live through it!~" Nagito hummed, "To see you all try! But, I thought I mustn't let my newfound longevity go to waste… That's why I decided to aid Teruteru."

"How… does that follow…?" Hajime stood there baffled.

"Because… Didn't Teruteru do what he did because he, too, was holding strong hope? In other words, his actions were also grounded on hope…That would make him someone I should pursue and desire, wouldn't it?" Nagito pointed out, "'An absolute hope that can conquer any despair'. I had to find out if he really had such a thing in him, so I decided to help him!~"

"W…What the hell do you mean, 'find out'?! Give us a break!" Hajime shouted, though Nagito didn't listen.

"When I guessed what was going on inside his heart, I couldn't contain myself. I mean, he thought he was killing me, but Byakuya ended up dead instead!~ If I just left him alone in his confusion, it would be a waste of a school trial, wouldn't it? But, if we want to make our hope grow, the school trial is indispensable." Nagito told them, "And that's why… I decided to give him a hand! I mean, I don't care if I die, so I thought I'd concentrate on having him escape safely. I told him as much before we started our investigation. Didn't I, Teruteru-kun?~"

"Uuuuuuuuuu…" Teruteru sniffled.

"However…In the end my power wasn't enough. An unfortunate outcome for Teruteru… But you can still puff your chest in pride, Teruteru! Your death will not be in vain! You are going to become a wonderful sacrifice so everyone can grow even stronger!~"

"S…Sacrifice…?!" Teruteru whimpered.

"ST-STOP IT! DON'T SAY STUFF LIKE THAT! THIS ISN'T GONNA HELP ANY OF US, WE'VE LOST BYAKUYA, AND NOW…now we're gonna lose Teruteru too…S-SO JUST STOP!" Mizuki plead. Biyuki frowned and looked at Nagito, mixed feelings in her eyes as she rubbed Mizuki's back.

"E…Enough! If I hear another word outta him, I'm gonna lose it!" Kazuichi growled.

"Oy… We can't just leave this crazy idiot alone, can we?" Fuyuhiko mumbled, "We should just kill him right now!"

"NO!" Mizuki yelled, whipping from Biyuki's arms as she turned to Fuyuhiko, "NO MORE KILLING! Thinking like that is what got us here in the first place! It's why Teruteru did what he did! Why Byakuya's dead! If Byakuya was willing to sacrifice his life to protect Nagito, even though he knew he was out to kill someone, who wants to step up and make that sacrifice, and the imminent loss of Teruteru, utterly pointless?! Huh?!"

Everyone was completely silent.

"Jeez! You all are such mopers! You can discuss murdering Nagito later if you'd like, but he's not the one dying now of course!~ It's Teruteru!~" Monokuma hummed happily.

"…Hii?!" Teruteru exclaimed.

"Upupu, you haven't forgotten, have you? That was the deal from the very beginning. If the culprit loses… a wonderful 'punishment' awaits them." Monokuma reminded.

"W…Wait a second…That was… what d'you call it…? 'Self-defense', or 'involuntary manslaughter'… In any case… I think it's possible I'm not at fault here…" Teruteru tried to reason.

"Even if it's in self-defense or involuntary or even an accident, a murder is a murder!" Monokuma replied, "You killed someone, therefore it's a murder!"

"B…But… I deserve a lenient sentence on account of extenuating circumstances… At the very least give me a stay of execution…!" Teruteru plead.

"This court has no such measures! It's the gallows for anyone who decides to kill!"

"B…But… E…Everyone! Help me! I was just trying to stop Nagito, and yet…!" Teruteru whimpered.

"Ha! There's no way that someone with no malicious intent… would kill a person the way you did." Monokuma teased.

"…Uu!" Teruteru cried.

"Weren't you so desperate that you thought you could kill Nagito and live on after sacrificing everyone? At the very least, be honest with yourself in your final moments." Monokuma chastised.

"Uuuuuuuuu….UWAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Teruteru bawled.

"T…Teruteru…!" Sonia worried.

"If you hadn't decided to kill Nagito…Byakuya wouldn't have been killed… Why, Teruteru?! Why did you decide you had to kill someone?!" Mahiru demanded.

"Uuu… I…I… wanted to go home… no matter what it took…" Teruteru finally admitted, "I HAD TO GO BACK HOME WHATEVER THE PRICE WAAAAAS!...Because… she's waiting for me. Mom… is waiting back in the countryside. She's all alone… waiting for me to come back after graduating Hope's Peak Academy." Teruteru sniffled, remembering the last conversation he had with her.

" _I'm leaving now!" Teruteru called, "Hoh hoh… when I come back, branches in Aoyama and Azabu won't be just a dream anymore!~"_

" _Honestly, that's all you're ever talking about…" His mom muttered._

" _But… this isn't a pipe dream anymore… I mean, they say graduating this school promises success in life, don't they?" Teruteru pointed out, then smiling at her, "So… I know it will be difficult all alone… but wait for me until then…"_

" _Yes, I know. Until that time comes… I'll do my best to keep the Hanamura Restaurant running." His mother promised._

" _I told you, you don't have to work too hard! What are you going to do if you collapse again when I'm not here?" Teruteru worried._

"… _I'll be fine. Your mother is a strong woman. I won't lose to any illness!" She asserted. Teruteru smiled softly._

" _Ha ha… I know that…" He looked away as he tried to keep himself together, "…I… know that…"_

"I made her a promise… I made her a promise that I'll become a great cook and save the Hanamura Restaurant." Teruteru told them, "Mom… is waiting for me to fulfill that promise. She's prone to sickness… and all alone… and waiting for me. SO I MUST GO HOME!"

"T-Teruteru…!" Sonia sniffled, on the verge of tears.

"And then… he said our memories have been taken away… and that years have passed since we entered that school… If that's true, what happened to the Hanamura Restaurant?! What happened to Mom, who's been waiting for me?!" Teruteru sobbed out, his whole body shuddering.

"You believed it… you believed that story…" Peko muttered, looking away as she put a fist to her heart.

"Weren't you saying this whole time you didn't believe it? That everything's alright…? So, why'd you…?!" Kazuichi asked incredulously.

"I…I still don't believe it!" Teruteru asserted, looking away as he tried to get ahold of himself, "There's no way I can believe it… it has to be a lie…That's why I wanted to go back home! I wanted to go back home… and see for myself that it really was a lie…I wanted to see for myself that there was still a place for me to go back to!"

"Gu…! Teruteru… you…!" Nekomaru teared up himself, along with most of the other people there.

"I don't believe it… I'll never believe it…" Teruteru repeated to himself like a mantra.

' **Teruteru…how did I not see it sooner? The reason he kept saying he didn't believe it…Was because he believed it more than anyone else…'** Hajime thought sadly.

"I…I wanted to see for myself, whatever the cost may be… I had to do something…And then… I heard about Nagito's plan. I knew that if I did nothing, he'd kill someone…And then… and then…" Teruteru paused, looking away.

"And then, you went and killed someone first, didn't you?" Monokuma finished.

"…I'm sorry… everyone… I didn't want to sacrifice anyone. I just… had to do something…" Teruteru practically whispered out, "And yet… I ended up killing Byakuya instead of Nagito…" Teruteru stopped and chuckled, shaking his head, "Oh. I see…It's me… I'm the one who went crazy."

"Teruteru…" Mizuki sniffled, moved to tears as she went and hugged him, "Your poor mother…Y-you wanted to try and protect us…And maybe see her again…! I just wish…I wish I could help…or s-somehow make it a little b-!" Mizuki stopped as she seemed to realize something, stepping back, "…I know it might not be much, but…There is…One thing I can give you…C-could everyone please cover their eyes…?"

"…Wha? Why?" Hajime wondered.

"Please…Just do it." Mizuki recommended, hands shakily going to the bottom of her hoodie/shirt and gripping the bottom. Immediately, several of them understood, unable to stop her so Fuyuhiko, Peko, Mahiru, Nagito, Mikan, and Nekomaru all closed and covered their eyes blushing—Mahiru covering Hiyoko's eyes as well as Nekomaru covered a confused Gundham and Kazuichi.

"Hey! What are y-?! Oooohhhh…." Kazuichi suddenly understood with a flush, reaching to cover Sonia's eyes as well.

"W-What?! What is she doing?" Sonia wondered. Hajime was confused, but as her arms started to lift he understood, flushing as he covered his eyes just in the nick of time as Mizuki lifted up her shirt for Teruteru.

"O-OH MY!"

"Heh, not bad. Takes guts to do something like that, especially in front of a whole mess of people…"

"Ibuki will commit this bonding moment to memory!"

"Th-That's not appropriate!"

"Pipe down Monomi, this is getting fun!~"

"I-It's not for you you wicked bear!"

"MIZUKI PUT YOUR SHIRT DOWN THIS INSTANT I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU WOULD DO THIS!"

"Alright Bi-kun…"

A moment later it seemed safe again, everyone opening their eyes to see Biyuki growling, her face bright red as she looked at Teruteru who had a nosebleed and whose eyes were practically rolled up like she wanted to beat him to death before Monokuma got a whack at him, Monomi covering her face with her ears in embarrassment as Monokuma laughed with a blush on his cheeks, Chiaki looking on pretty unfazed—didn't look like she'd made any attempt not to look but didn't look too ashamed either—and Akane and Ibuki smiling respectfully at a very embarrassed but smiling Mizuki.

"…You wanted to see them, right…? I thought…Since there's no other way to help…I-I can at least give you that." Mizuki comforted, giving him another hug as Teruteru seemed to come back to life, wrapping her in another hug.

"Mizuki, you truly are an angel…Anyone else care to give me such a gift?~" Teruteru hummed, looking around before Biyuki straight up slapped him.

"You are lucky I have no knife." She muttered, cheeks bright red.

"B-BI-KUN!" Mizuki huffed, pushing her away lightly as she gave her a warning glare.

"Fine, fine, If you need me I'll be over here." Biyuki grumbled, walking away.

"Well that was exciting!~ More exciting than anything else that's gonna happen here…And so…I see no value in prolonging this pain any longer, so let's get started with the punishment!" Monokuma announced.

"Y…You can't!" Monomi interjected.

"Don't get in the way!" Monokuma growled before punching her off.

"Gyaaaaaaaa!"

"Ah, now that I've dealt with my annoying little sister let's get back to business…"

"W…Wait…" Teruteru paused, "I… won't ask you for pardon any more…I'm getting what I deserve…but… at least…"

"I prepared a special punishment for our Ultimate Cook, Teruteru Hanamura!"

"I'm a chef! No, that's not I wanted to say!" Teruteru shook it off and looked up with big pleading eyes, "P…Please… at least… tell me what happened to the Hanamura Restaurant… Tell me what happened to Mom…"

"Well, then, time to get excited! It's punishment time!"

"I…It's a trick… I don't believe any of it…I… don't…!" Teruteru desperately whimpered before falling to his knees and crying out, "…MOOOOOOOOMMYYYYYYYY!" Immediately the floor dropped under him and Monokuma hopped in, the floor coming back up before anyone could reach them, all of them looking as a scene was set before them, behind a wall so they couldn't get in, some watching in horror, some watching in anger, others running up to pound on the glass, but nothing could stop it. Teruteru was tied up to a stake, wiggling and screaming for his mom as he was pelted with eggs, then flour, looking at himself confused and alarmed before the helicopter picked him up, still sobbing and struggling as he was dipped into a volcano, and pulled out as a deep fried cook.

"Wooooo! Extreme!" Monokuma exclaimed as he reappeared suddenly.

"KYAAAAAAAA!" Monomi screamed.

"Whoa! Adrenaline rush!" Monokuma hummed.

"T…Teruteruuuuuuu!" Mikan cried out.

"Uu…uuuu….! S…Seriously…?!" Kazuichi sniffled.

"A…aaaaaaaa…aaaaaaa….!" Ibuki cried out.

"W…Why? Why would you do such a brutal thing?" Sonia said in a hushed tone.

"Oh? Didn't they make you do something like this in elementary school? You know, when kids are calling each other names, you write down what they say in a notebook and then read it back in front of them. It's important to make kids think hard about what it feels like when the same is done to you. It's just the same for murder." Monokuma pointed out.

"I…It was you who made him do it!" Mahiru accused.

"Uu… So cruel… That was too cruel…!" Mikan sniffled.

"Well, we have our rules so I didn't have a choice. I'm trying to run an orderly Field Trip of Mutual Killing here!" Monokuma told them.

"Rules…? What the hell…? It's you who's breaking the rules, isn't it?!" Hajime accused.

"Hm? I can't just let something like that pass by in silence…"

"Don't you remember what you said when you gave us your 'motive' speech?! That if we started the mutual killing you would return our memories! S…So why didn't you tell Teruteru about his mother and their restaurant? He had the right to know!" Hajime asserted.

"Yeah… and we have the right to know too!" Fuyuhiko agreed, "Hey! Tell us, right now! You said you'd return our memories of life at the school, didn't you?!"

"Wait…what if…What if the memories would have upset Teruteru…?" Mizuki pointed out, "What if…what if all of our memories upset us…? At least Teruteru got to leave just wondering and not truly grieving…"

"Don't say stuff like that!" Mahiru scolded, "Even if they're bad, we deserve to know! And you promised!"

"You're right, I certainly made that promise. I said if mutual killing starts, I'd return your memories." Monokuma agreed.

"Eh? Are you going to tell them? But… if you do…" Monomi worried.

"But, I never said I'd return your memories straight away, did I?"

"Wha…?!"

"Hey, that's playing dirty!" Akane growled.

"I will keep my promise, of course. Just like I promised, I will return your memories. Sometime. It's just that I haven't decided when yet." Monokuma hummed with a smile, "Byahyahyahyahya!" And then he disappeared.

"U…Um…" Monomi stuttered, "Please excuse me! There's important business I really must attend to!" and then she disappeared after him.

"W…What the hell…?!"

"That's not fair! They both ran away!"

"H…He really played right into Monokuma's hands, didn't he? …Teruteru… you idiot!"

"I don't get why you're all so sad…" Biyuki muttered.

"Wha…?"

"Biyuki, what are you talking about? At the core…He wanted to protect us…" Mahiru muttered.

"Yeah right, open your eyes! It's like Monokuma said…All he wanted was to save his own skin." Biyuki huffed.

"Bi-kun…Don't…He wanted to stop Nagito…and see his mom…"

"By killing Nagito."

The room was silent.

"Or were you all just gonna forget about that part? You think if it HADN'T been Byakuya this'd be better? If he'd killed Nagito we would have still had the trial, and who here believes he wouldn't have reacted the same way? You think he'd of lined up to be executed to keep protecting you? No! He was saving himself. That's the harsh truth." Biyuki muttered, "You all need to remember that."

"But-!"

"But what? You don't think he could have just told us? So we could restrain Nagito? You think he couldn't have admitted he wanted to see his mom? That he was worried? So we could help him? You think cause he wanted to see his mom everything is okay? Just makes it understandable, not okay. Don't forget, he wanted you all to vote wrong. He wanted you to DIE. No matter his reasons or intentions, his goals were the same: Kill one of us, trick everyone else, get out alive, and let us all die." Biyuki gave them all a cold, serious look, "Don't forget that."

"Y-You aren't one to talk…" Kazuichi muttered.

"Yeah, I AM. If I'd killed Fuyuhiko this morning, it was in front of you all. I wasn't hiding anything. I would have accepted my execution. Mizuki would be safe."

"Don't say that Bi-kun…"

"It's true. As much as you guys might not want to face it, he's not a martyr. He chose to solve the problem with killing, hide it from us, and he paid the price. Simple as that." Biyuki huffed, turning.

"She's right…As pure his reasoning, he obviously intended our deaths." Peko affirmed.

"Yeah…But did he deserve that…?" Akane muttered.

"I'm not saying he did…Even in my most sadistic moments…I wouldn't choose that…" Biyuki agreed softly, "But it wasn't like he was an innocent. Even if Nagito and Monokuma twisted his arm, neither of them guided the skewer into Byakuya's chest themselves…" Everyone was silent for a long time.

"It sure is despair-inducing that things ended this way… Depressingly despair-inducing. But, it's exactly at times like these…That the symbols of hope must pull together, and strive for even higher levels!" Nagito told them, chuckling warmly.

"You bastard… why are you laughing?" Akane demanded.

"Only a real weirdo can laugh at a time like this!" Ibuki exclaimed.

"Wait… I'm as sad as the rest of you…Didn't I say it before?" Nagito told them honestly, "I love everyone here… and the wonderful talents you hold… from the bottom of my heart. I can never be happy when a wonderful talent like that disappears."

"You've gotten way too sickening for me to just let it slide! I'm gonna kill you!" Fuyuhiko announced.

"…Sure! Come and kill me whenever you want!" Nagito agreed eagerly.

"…Huh?"

"If you don't like me, I won't mind if you come and kill me! I've already prepared myself to become a stepping stone for everyone! If my death leads you closer to absolute hope… then my life is cheap."

"How twisted are you…?!" Nekomaru questioned.

"But, if you decide to kill me, come consult with me first, will you? I'll cooperate with any culprit that does."

"You're really… intent on helping culprits, aren't you…"

"It's not such a huge deal. Everyone here is a student at Hope's Peak Academy… The 'symbols of hope', chosen for your magnificent abilities and talents…If someone worthless like me decides to cooperate with a culprit, it should be nothing to you!"

"Hm. So majestically you declare you would be an accomplice in your own murder…" Gundham hummed thoughtfully.

"Couldn't it be… that that's just his strategy? He's trying to make potential culprits think there's value in keeping him alive, since he may be of help later…" Hiyoko pointed out.

"Well, think what you want…To tell you the truth, thanks to Byakuya, I've actually found some desire to stay alive. I want to watch, with my own eyes, as you all break through the despair that's coming…! Ahaha, just kidding!" Nagito chuckled.

"Hey, can I punch him? I can't hold it much longer!" Akane growled through gritted teeth.

"That's enough…We should just walk away… It seems like just talking with this guy is asking for trouble…!" Hajime muttered.

"Huh? Even you hate me, Hajime-kun? That hurts a little… You're the one I feel closest to." Nagito stated.

"What the…?"

"You hold special feelings toward Hope's Peak Academy… You're just like me, aren't you?"

"That's… I'm nothing like you…!"

"Aren't you? Are you sure of that? Monokuma said so himself… we don't know each other. We don't know each other's true intentions…In fact, if the story about our missing school memories is true, we may not even know our own selves. That's… even more so in your case, isn't it? You don't even remember your own talent…" Nagito pointed out.

"…Akane, go ahead and punch him." Hajime instructed.

"ALRIGHT!"

"…W…Wait a second!"

"ALL OF YOU STOP!" Mizuki shouted, everyone turning to her, looking as she glared at all of them, "I am sick and tired of all of this. And just tired in general. Now, everyone is going to MARCH BACK TO THEIR OWN COTTAGE before I have a mental break down and Biyuki starts slicing people up for causing it! ALRIGHT?!" Everyone gave slow nods as they started to quietly file out, Fuyuhiko stopping.

"Wait, she still doesn't have her knife!" He mentioned.

"I can kill you with a variety of other things if you would prefer if you continue to upset Mizu-kun~" Biyuki hummed with a smirk.

"I think…We should try holding another breakfast meeting tomorrow…yes?" Sonia suggested.

"That sounds like a brilliant idea Sonia!" Kazuichi agreed with a smile.

"Kiss up." Biyuki muttered, earning a glare from Kazuichi that she stuck her tongue out at and then a glare from Mizuki that made her sigh and cross her arms.

"No more fighting. I think meeting tomorrow would be wonderful…When I've gotten some sleep and the pep is back in my step…Goodnight everyone." Mizuki muttered, everyone leaving and heading to their cottages.

There was no way Hajime would be sleeping tonight…and a part of him wondered if anyone else would be able to either…


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi guys! Thank you so much for the reviews so far, I hope to get more! Please please please they make my day and I'm so super stressed right now! I actually have two more chapters after this one finished, but I have a few once overs to give them before I post them. Anyways, I do not own Danganronpa, or any of their characters, so enjoy!~**

 **Chapter 5**

That night, after everyone had left, two people had approached Nagito before he went to his cottage.

"Hi guys!" Nagito greeted, "What's up?" He looked and noticed all the rope and smiled brightly, "Oh, are you here to kill me?~ By all means, go ahead! Just tell me what we're gonna do!" The men frowned at him.

"Nagito…Why are you like this?"

"Hmm? Well, I guess it's based on what I think." Nagito admitted, "There's a certain truth we've known since we were young…It's not something we were taught as such… but we learned it all the same, by observing this world in which we are engulfed…The hope-filled messages streaming from television, newspapers and the net all say the same thing. People who aren't successful… People who don't work hard… People who aren't successful even though they do work hard…They are all alike. Worthless. Human garbage." Nagito got that look in his eyes again as he continued, "Worthy people and worthless people are set apart from the moment they're born. Worthless people can try all they want. But they'll never achieve worth…Thinking that hard work leads to success is a gross misunderstanding. The world is not that simple. A small dog can't make itself big just by working…A penguin will never be able to fly, no matter how hard it tries…" He smiled up at them brightly, "In other words… everything worthless people do is, in fact, worthless. Talent isn't something you can just… get. You have to be born with it. That's right… just like you guys were. That's why I revere all of you." Nagito stopped at the look on their faces and chuckled, "Ah… I guess I should clarify something. What I'm talking about isn't the same as looking up to someone. Looking up to someone is wanting to become like them someday. But I'm not that impertinent. My feelings… are purer than that. They're more like… unconditional love." He looked at them adoringly, crossing his hands over his heart.

"That's why… I want you to believe me. I don't mind if I die… So if that's what you want, let me help you! I don't even care whether the culprit survives, or the others do…I just want both parties to do their best. All I want… is to see the 'absolute hope' that lies on the other side." Nagito told them, smiling softly as he looked down, "Yeah, I truly am lucky! Someone like me, being able to witness the moment hope clashes against hope! So, please… let me help you! If you wish to kill me, I want you to let me in on the plan. I want you to make me a stepping stone so everyone can shine… Let the circumstances of my death bring out-"

"SHUT UUUUUUUUUP!" One of the two yelled before there was a smash, and Nagito fell unconscious before them as they began to complete their task.

The next morning, Hajime awoke in his bed, not believing he had been able to sleep after all of that, but he remembered what Mizuki had said about them all meeting and besides that, he was fairly hungry…So, he shook the weight off of his shoulders and made his way towards the restaurant. By the time he got there, several people had already arrived, most looking tired and downtrodden, but Mizuki was in the corner, humming to herself cheerfully as she worked on something that he couldn't see. He looked around, seeing Nekomaru, Mahiru, Ibuki, Kazuichi, Mikan, Chiaki, Gundham, and Peko standing and sitting around, eating and considering things as they did. Mahiru was the first to notice his arrival.

"…Ah… Hajime… You're here. Good morning…" She greeted

"Y…Yo…" Kazuichi muttered.

"G…Good morning…" Mikan said softly. It wasn't surprising that the restaurant felt heavy, like you could cut through the air with a knife.

But then, Mizuki spoke up with a bright grin that seemed wildly out of place.

"Morning Hajime! I hope you slept well!~" She hummed, "I'm so glad you came to the breakfast meeting as requested! I know it wasn't mandatory after all."

"…Mizuki? Are you okay?" Hajime wondered, concerned that she was so happy again.

"Of course! I'm sorry I got so rough with everyone yesterday…I can be a bit touchy when I'm so tired…" Mizuki apologized, looking away.

"…I don't think anyone really blamed you too much for that, but…How can you be so upbeat?" Hajime asked. Mizuki's smile came back, though it seemed a little plastered on.

"Well, that whole yucky business is done, right? So long as Nagito is kept under control, along with Bi-kun, I don't think anything bad will happen again! …Besides, what use would it be to just sit around and mope, right? I don't think that's what they would have wanted…" Mizuki replied, looking down at the paper she had been scribbling on. Hajime looked down at it. She had been making a poem it seemed, but the page was covered with scribbles…She seemed to be having issues finding the words.

"…There's no shame in being sad y'know." Hajime suggested.

"…I know…But…If I'm sad, and you guys are sad too…Who's gonna cheer us up?" Mizuki said softly, her smile faltering and Hajime felt a pang. She was trying to keep happy…So that maybe she could cheer them all up…? …Hajime couldn't help but give her a small smile and pat her shoulder comfortingly. Mizuki smiled back, though through her eyes you could see that she was just as sad as everyone that this had happened. They heard footsteps and looked to the stairs as Hiyoko arrived.

"Huh? What's with the long faces, everyone? You lot look like you've been attending funerals all morning…" Hiyoko mentioned as she grabbed a muffin and began to eat.

"Well… With everything that happened…Byakuya was killed… and then Teruteru was too…!" Mikan whimpered.

"I wasn't talking to you, ugly!"

"Hyaaaaaa! W…Why are you so mean to me?!"

"Well, OK, Mr. Pork feet dying was sad, but, there's no need to feel sorry for Teruteru, is there?"

"W…What the…?" Kazuichi trailed off.

"I mean, it's like Biyuki said last night. He was a murderer. A freak. Someone like him deserved to die!" Hiyoko asserted.

"That's not what Bi-kun said!" Mizuki argued, a slight frown upon her lips, "She said he was trying to get us killed, so feeling sad for his death isn't smart…And I don't even agree with that, but she never said he deserved to die…"

"She basically did. She said he wasn't an innocent, and that's right. You all need to just take a pill and realize that." Hiyoko huffed.

"I can see your point, but that's taking it too far." Peko muttered.

"Oh? Are you saying it's okay to defend a murderer? Do you think murder is ever justified?" Hiyoko questioned.

"No… that is not what I was trying to say, but…"

"Well, you should hate him, then. You must detest him from the bottom of your heart." Hiyoko determined, "We're talking about a guy who went ahead and did the worst possible thing a human can do. He was human waste. Of course he had to die. That execution was refreshing. He should've let us go and spit on the body, too." As she was talking, Akane, Biyuki, and Sonia walked in, Biyuki not really responding as she grabbed a blueberry muffin, wanting to stop her seeing as Mizuki seemed upset, but she was the one who had said something first about it…Even if she didn't go this far…Getting involved now was probably not smart. Akane went towards the food eagerly, ignoring Hiyoko outright, but then sniffing around the air curiously as Sonia just quickly moved towards breakfast, looking down as she did.

"Hiyoko stop." Mizuki said firmly, shaking slightly.

"Why should I?" Hiyoko huffed, "I get you're this kind chick and you probably don't want anyone to get hurt or anything, but can you look me in the eye and tell me you think that what Teruteru did was right?"

"Well, no, but-"

"And if it wasn't right he should have been punished, right?"

"Yes but-"

"Well he was, end of story."

"Not end of story!" She argued, "Much more story! It was cruel what happened to him! How can you stand there and-?" Mizuki was interrupted as Akane began walking around, sniffing the air, walking around the room making noises like an animal hunting for prey, "…Akane, can I help you with something…?"

"…Hm? …Hmmmmmm?" Akane muttered, still sniffing around.

"For heaven's sake, what is it now? Even the low IQ squad feels the need to object?" Hiyoko mocked.

"No, that's not it…" Akane mumbled, "Don't you smell something?"

"Eh? Again?!" Sonia exclaimed.

"It's not… another body or something, right?" Ibuki wondered, everyone looking over to Biyuki.

"Don't look at me." She replied with a shrug.

"No…It's not blood… It's just… something stinks." Akane stated.

"S…Stinks…?" Hajime questioned.

"You know, something smells like a late-night snack, or like a hostess club after closing time." Akane stated. Mizuki flushed slightly and started to nudge her way away from everyone subtly.

"How'd we know?! What kinda rough lifestyle've you been living?!" Kazuichi asked.

"But… now that she mentions it, something does smell. It's like sewage, or raw garbage…" Peko agreed, sniffing the air lightly, Mizuki continuing to nudge away.

"Kyahahahaha! I know! It's the stink from big bro Nidai's mouth!" Hiyoko suggested.

"GAHAHAHA! Ya sure got me!" Nekomaru laughed.

"That was a pretty lame joke, you know." Hajime muttered.

"No, it's not Nekomaru. This smell is coming from…" Akane sniffled around, Mizuki stiffening and shaking a little bit, closing her eyes before Akane located the source, "It's coming from you, Hiyoko."

"…Eh?" Hiyoko questioned.

"Whoa, it is! Hiyoko… you stink!" Kazuichi exclaimed.

"Ku…! This foul miasma taints the very soul…! It is as though the Diabolical Eclipse is beginning!" Gundham agreed.

"Ah… Uuuuuu….." Hiyoko stuttered out before tearing up, "WAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"Ah! She's crying!" Ibuki exclaimed.

"You guys still don't get this 'delicacy' thing, do you?!" Mahiru scolded.

"U…Um… It's not really that… bad, is it? I mean, if I breathe with my mouth it's a bit better…" Kazuichi tried to comfort.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"You are washing yourself properly, aren't you?" Akane questioned.

"Uu… sniff…I'm not." Hiyoko admitted.

"Y…You haven't been taking baths?!" Hajime exclaimed.

"I…I can't help it… I can't tie my kimono's obi by myself…" Hiyoko explained, "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"H…Hey, Hiyoko… don't cry…If it's just about the obi, I can help you tie it." Mahiru comforted.

"Sniff… sniff…Really?" Hiyoko questioned.

"Yeah…I don't know any of the fancy knots, but… if you want, I'll even teach you how to tie it yourself." Mahiru offered.

"Yaaaay! I love you, big sis Mahiru! I'm gonna kiss you!" Hiyoko cheered, jumping up and hugging Mahiru tight.

"W…Wait, Hiyoko… Y…you don't have to hug me…!" Mahiru stuttered out.

"Hmhmhm… It seems you have acquired a disciple." Gundham teased lightly.

"Irasshaimase! Welcome to the humid house of lilies!" Ibuki chuckled. It seemed that something so simple…Had cleared the air of the gloom. Mizuki was smiling softly at seeing the smiles on everyone's faces.

"Um… By the way… What happened to Fuyuhiko and Nagito?" Mikan asked hesitantly, everyone looking to her surprised, "They're both not here…"

"Hey, you're right…" Hajime noticed.

"I saw Fuyuhiko near the hotel earlier. I invited him to breakfast but he refused." Peko informed them.

"Nothing new there, then…" Hajime remarked. Mizuki frowned.

"He should try to stop being so antisocial…" Mizuki sighed.

"Who cares about Nagito? It's better that he's not here!" Akane commented.

"That one lives a cursed existence… An embodiment of misfortune and ill-omen, bringing ruin upon all he surveys…" Gundham commented, Biyuki smiling slightly.

"I don't know about misfortune, seemed pretty lucky to me." Biyuki commented, "He managed to get the person he wanted murdered dead, and get someone else to do it. Everything worked out pretty well for him…" She sighed wistfully, "I can't say I don't respect such amazing manipulation skills on at least some level~"

"Bi-kun you're going to stop right now or I'll hide all your art stuff and replace it with crayons."

"That is cruel and unusual punishment!"

"B…Before you even ask… I know nothing! I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE NAGITO IS!" Nekomaru yelled.

"Yeah! Let's just forget all about him! Who cares what happened to a weirdo like him!" Kazuichi agreed. Biyuki raised an eyebrow.

"…You two did something to him, didn't you?" She questioned.

"WHAT?!" Nekomaru screamed.

"H-HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT?!" Kazuichi cried out.

"You two are absolutely the worst liars I have ever met in my life." Biyuki accused, "Although, I guess that will come in handy if you guys end up murdering someone."

"What's going on? Was someone kidnapped or something?" Monokuma questioned as he appeared from nowhere.

"P…Perfect timing!" Nekomaru decided.

"Hm? Perfect timing?" Monokuma wondered.

"N…No… I was just…"

"I'm not sure what's going on, but it seems I'm being coveted!~ Does my cuteness change your entire viewpoint on life, making living without me an unbearable burden on your body?" Monokuma hummed then blushing as he almost seemed to be sweating, "I…It can't be helped, can it…? Your body just… instinctively reacts to Monokuma…Is that it?"

"…You're trying to take the role of pervert now aren't you?" Biyuki inquired, raising a brow.

"…Whatever. Why are you here?" Mahiru wondered.

"To tell you the truth, I'm searching for something too. One of my faithful servants has disappeared." Monokuma admitted.

"Servants…?" Hajime trailed off.

"You know, the Monobeasts? One of them is missing…" Monokuma explained, "Hmm… maybe I shouldn't have cut the pet food budget so heavily… You don't think it went on strike, do you?"

"'He was the weakest among the Four Great Demons… Losing to a mere human is a disgrace to the Monobeasts…'…Is that what you are trying to say?" Gundham suggested.

"What?"

"Our little tale is still in its prelude. The climax is still yet to come…Let us hear your battle cry! We shall make it your requiem!" Gundham exclaimed.

"What what?"

"Has Gundham snapped…?" Ibuki wondered.

"Stop playing with the teddy bear, Gundham." Mahiru instructed.

"So, you're still calling me a teddy bear…Anyway, it seems you bastards don't know anything about my Monobeast. Oh well. It's not like worrying will do me any good. All I'll get is more bald patches…Besides, our eyes are on the front of our faces so we can always face forward into the future!" Monokuma announced, then disappearing again.

"Do you think… he was telling the truth? Is one of the Monobeasts really gone…?" Peko questioned.

"Hmmm… It's not impossible, I suppose…" Chiaki considered.

"If so though, where did it go? And what does that mean for us?" Mizuki commented.

"Um, are you terribly busy right now? Because if you are, I can come back later…" Monomi worried as she appeared from nowhere.

"Great. Go away." Akane asserted.

"Kyaa! At least send me away kindly!" Monomi cried out.

"Ah. Before you go, there's something I want to ask. We heard that a Monobeast is gone…" Chiaki started.

"Thaaat's right!" Monomi announced proudly, "Ta-daaah! I obliterated that Monobeast all by myself!"

"Y…You?!" Hajime exclaimed.

"You? 'Obliterate'? One of those things?! How the hell'd you pull that off?!" Kazuichi demanded.

"That story is better told in a different game mode, but the upshot of it all is, the bridge gate is now open!" Monomi assured them.

"If the gate is open… does that mean we can go to another island?" Chiaki inquired.

"IS THAT TRUUUUUE?!" Nekomaru yelled.

"That's absolutely true! And since you now have a much wider space to move around in, this time you can all live a friendly, fun life together!" Monomi chirped happily, "Love! Love!"

"W…We're not after a friendly life together… Let's go look for a way off the island instead…" Mikan muttered.

"That goes without saying! Our only goal should be to escape this place!" Mahiru agreed.

"…Huh?" Monomi said, confused.

"Did any of us ask for some Hollywood-style action-adventure, huh?!" Ibuki exclaimed.

"I'd much rather have a banal life, where nothing ever happens… That fits me much better…" Mikan mumbled.

"Right! Anyone finds something we can use to make a boat, you bring it to me!" Kazuichi instructed.

"U…Um… This group activity isn't going the way I thought it would…" Monomi stuttered.  
"Fuhahaha! It is decided – we disperse! Our task; to seek a means to break this infuriating seal!" Gundham decided.

"Alright! Let's find a way off this island!" Akane agreed.

"Yeah! A way off of this island is definitely what we should look for!" Biyuki replied eagerly, smiling happily.

"That's… impossible…" Monomi stated.

"…Hm?" Hajime wondered.

"Leaving this island… is no longer possible…"

"…'No longer'? Hey, what do you…" But before Hajime could ask anything more, Monomi already left, "Ah…!"

"Oi, Hajime… Just ignore that bunny!" Kazuichi recommended, "When all's said and done… she's just the same as Monokuma. It's best not botherin' with her…"

"I…I guess you're right." Hajime relented, going to leave with everyone else. Mizuki frowned slightly, at the end the only one left still in the restaurant.

"…I sort of like the idea of us all living here together…" She admitted to the empty room, before sighing and bolstering herself up with a smile, "Well, if that's what they all want…I should do my best to help!" Mizuki started to go off then stopped half way down the stairs, "…After a very quick shower." She stated, heading over to her cottage first.

It wasn't long until they arrived at the bridge, Hajime looked out at it, noticing the gate was indeed open as everyone started to cross it. Hajime followed, and as the island began to come into view, and realized this island-without even arriving yet-felt different than the first…something felt different. He couldn't place what, but was eager to go find out, and see if it would help them escape from this nightmare. The first thing he saw and went to was what seemed to be a giant ruin, ivy growing all over it. The weird thing was the architecture seemed modern…despite how old and decrepit the building looked. The only person there was Chiaki, who seemed to be asleep.

"Zzz….."

"C…Chiaki…?" Hajime questioned, trying to wake her up.

"….." Chiaki woke up slowly, rubbing her eyes before looking at him, "Ah, I'm sorry… I dozed off just a little."

' **I wouldn't call that just a little…And how does she manage to sleep standing up like that?'** Hajime thought.

"Changing the subject… This sure is a large building. What do you think it is?" Hajime wondered.

"It looks like some kind of ancient ruin, doesn't it?" Chiaki remarked.

"So you think so too…But, is that all it is? I'm not sure how to put it, but something…" Hajime couldn't find the words he was looking for.

"Yeah. It's very mysterious, isn't it? I have a feeling there's something special about this place…" Chiaki agreed.

"Something special…" Hajime trailed off.

"…I'm going to explore it a little longer. You can go somewhere else." Chiaki instructed, "Well? Hurry up and go!" Hajime was shocked that Chiaki was being so forceful, but had a feeling that she just wanted to be alone to sleep some more so he nodded a bit.

"I got it, but… don't go back to sleep. Explore this place properly and report back to us if you find something." Hajime told her.

"Sure, leave it to me." Chiaki agreed, Hajime nodding and turning to leave. He looked around, trying to decide where to look next.

"Hey, Hajime!" He heard from behind him, turning to see Mizuki with slightly damp hair, "Sorry I'm late…I took a shower. So this is the new island huh?"

"Yeah, looks like it. I haven't gotten to look around too much yet…" Hajime admitted.

"Alright then, how about I come with you? At least for now, I mean…." Mizuki requested, smiling a little nervously.

"…Is something wrong?" Hajime wondered, raising a brow.

"Ah! No! Why would you say that…?" She chuckled.

"You seem really nervous…"

"Do I…? Jeez…Sorry, I just…" Mizuki bit her lip and mulled over something, "…I'm afraid I'll get lost…I'm bad with directions…So, it would feel better to be with someone." Hajime nodded.

"Alright then…Where do you want to go?" He wondered.

"…" Mizuki looked around, spotting another building in the distance, "I guess there's closest? So let's go there!" Hajime nodded, the two walking towards, then going into what seemed to be a library, tons of books lining the shelves.

"Wow… there's an astounding amount of books here…This has to be a library… Probably a top-class one, too." Hajime remarked.

"Yes!~ A library! Score!~" Mizuki chirped happily, bouncing slightly as Hajime gave her a curious look then realized why she must be so happy.

"That's right…You're the Ultimate Author…I guess it would make sense a library would make you really happy." Hajime muttered. Mizuki smiled up at him.

"Not just that, I just love books! Reading them, writing them, it's so much fun! Do you have a favorite genre Hajime? I think everyone should have a favorite! Or at least two that are tied!" Mizuki energetically bombarded him with the question, leaning in close and making Hajime step back.

"Oh…um…I guess I like comics...?" Hajime told her nervously, not knowing if this would be a good answer.

"Ah, that's nice! I like comics too, but I don't know if you could call it a genre…Unless you're saying that the tropes of graphic novels and comics are so in on themselves that it has made itself into a genre, I suppose I could see that…" Mizuki muttered thoughtfully, Hajime honestly not understanding all of what she was saying.

"Um…What about your favorite…?" He wondered, trying to get her to stop thinking about his answer.

"Oh! I have to say it's a tie between Sci-fi and Fantasy most of the time, I love being whisked away to another world with rules not like ours…" Mizuki admitted, "But I also love Horror, Mystery…I can even get into a romance novel every now and then." Hajime nodded.

"Well…we can go ahead and look around then." Hajime told her, looking and noticing the presence now of Sonia and Peko, Sonia smiling gently at them for a second before getting back to a search, Peko calmly looking around but looking over at them every now and then with a small smirk playing at her lips.

"Great idea!" Mizuki agreed, bouncing off to browse the shelves as Hajime gave a sigh of relief, going to look himself. He first came upon a boastful looking Monokuma statue, frowning as he looked at it, then stepping forward and noticing on the ground pieces of another statue that was on the ground, kneeling down to examine it. It was a statue of Monomi…No, Usami. This was before the forceful makeover Monokuma had given her after all.

"What's that?" Mizuki wondered, coming over as she noticed his interest in it.

"That's right…You and Biyuki wouldn't know…Monomi used to look like this, back when she was supposed to be our teacher…She called herself Usami and brought us all here…Well, except for you guys, maybe…?" Hajime puzzled. Mizuki's smile fell slightly.

"That's right…Me and Biyuki still don't know how we got here in the first place…I forgot about that mystery all together…" Mizuki admitted, "So Monomi used to look like this huh…? …She reminds me of a magical girl anime." Hajime chuckled lightly, nodding in agreement before he got up to go look at the books. There was a large variety, and-hang on…

"…There's a large section here written by someone named 'B.C. Tenjo'…." Hajime remarked, noticing Mizuki's blush and head turn before raising a brow and looking to her, "Mizuki…? Are these some of your works?"

"Um, well…Yeah…B.C. Tenjo is the pen name I use for my published works…" Mizuki admitted.

"B.C.? What does that stand for?" Hajime inquired.

"Heh, I-It stands for 'Black Cat'. It's the username I use online for everything…So I thought it would be good to use it for this." Mizuki answered. Hajime looked at the shelf again.

"This is a lot…No wonder you're the Ultimate Author…"

"Heh, thanks! I pride myself on my work."

"Horror…Mystery…Fantasy…Sci-fi…all of the ones you mentioned…plus here's some poetry….Wait, what are these?"

"A-AH! M-Maybe you shouldn't-!"

"…?!" The covers of the books he pulled out marked them as what they were…Smutty romance novels. Men with their chests displayed, barely dressed women…some with women kissing or men kissing each other…Hajime blushed as he looked at them.

"Oh dear…!" Mizuki muttered as she took them from him and stuffed them under her hoodie.

"…Mizuki, you…erm…have a lot of THOSE books, huh…?"

"…Yeah. It was these that really put me on the map for Hope's Peak as far as writing goes…D-don't tell anyone, but…They told me my smut was the most accurate and arousing representation that they had seen, especially for someone who…erm…didn't really have experience in the matter." Mizuki admitted softly, "B-But you didn't hear that! G-Got it?!"

"U-Understood I guess…"

"…I think I should try and hide these…" Mizuki muttered, walking off with them as she blushed, looking for a good place in the library to put the books.

'I wouldn't have thought Mizuki would do that sort of thing…It certainly feels odd…' Hajime thought, then looking around and thinking some more before Peko came over to him.

"To have such a library here, but not a single person around…As expected… this island is most likely as deserted as the rest." Peko commented.

"I am a little bit in shock!" Sonia admitted, "For such a small island to host an installation on the level of the national library back home…"

"But, don't you think it's strange? Why does a resort island need such an extravagant library?" Hajime questioned.

"That is true. Furthermore, there is nobody else around." Sonia agreed.

"Yeah, that part's even stranger. There's no one on these islands except for us…" Hajime sighed. Monomi-who none of them had seen yet-came over with a smile.

"Ta-daaaah! Monomi is here! I've been reading a book! Ah, since we're all here, how about I tell you all about this library?!" Monomi suggested, Mizuki looking up from her looking for a place to hide the books.

"That would be nice…Especially why you have so many of my books…" Mizuki commented, mumbling the last part.

"Oh, You still look troubled… I guess my attempt to cheer you up was in vain." Monomi sighed, avoiding the mumbled question.

"…Anyway, you were about to explain something?" Hajime urged.

"Well, you're all students, aren't you? I thought you might appreciate having a nice place where you can concentrate on your studies!" Monomi explained, "So I prepared this library!"

"You… prepared this library?" Sonia questioned.

"Tee-hee! It's a place where everybody can study in peace and harmony. That's what being a student is all about." Monomi told them.

"…Stop talking as if you're our teacher." Hajime requested.

"But I am your teacher!" Monomi urged.

"…Hey, you said this library is for studying, right?" Mizuki commented.

"And entertainment of course! I know how much some of you love to read!" Monomi pointed out.

"Well, th-then why are THESE here?!" Mizuki demanded, pulling one of the books out, "Th-these aren't exactly school appropriate!" Monomi blushed and covered her mouth.

"O-Oh my…! I didn't put these here! I kept all naughty books like that out of this library!"

"And that's exactly why I put them in!" Monokuma announced, appearing out of nowhere.

"This is YOUR DOING?!" Mizuki and Monomi squeaked.

"Of course!" Monokuma announced, "High school is a time to explore who you are after all! That includes stuff like this, right?~ Besides, banned books aren't my style! Why would you want to hide the talent that got you into Hope's Peak after all?~" Mizuki blushed, the only one in the room having known before had been Hajime, and now Peko and Sonia were aware she was the author of the book in her hand now, Peko raising a brow as Sonia took it from her hands while she was shocked and looked it over.

"Oh my! Mizuki, this is one of your works?" Sonia wondered.

"D-DON'T LOOK AT IT!" Mizuki begged, covering her face, "I-I'm fine publishing it under a pen name, cause people don't know it's me usually…and I don't mind writing it…But having my friends read smut I've written…!" Mizuki clenched her fists and shook her blushing face back and forth with her eyes closed, "That's just too embarrassing! When people know it's me they always look at me weird! Please don't, I beg you!"

"…You lifted your shirt in front of Teruteru just last night. I think we're past the point of you blushing like a shy school girl." Peko commented.

"S-So?! That was a noble action to give Teruteru something before he died…"

"Heh, yeah! I liked it! If you keep setting precedents like that, it could become a motive!~ Someone could kill just to get a peak under your shirt!~" Monokuma remarked.

"D-Don't say stuff like that!" Mizuki whined, covering her face, practically dying in front of them from embarrassment.

"Th-That's sexual harassment!" Monomi asserted. Monokuma laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, sticks and stones. I'll be over here if any of you losers need me~" Monokuma told them, going over to another shelf as Hajime sighed, looking at a blushing and infuriated Monomi.

"Don't worry Mizuki, I-I'll help you hide them! It'll be fun! Like hide and seek!" Monomi assured her, wanting to help as Hajime frowned.

"…You know… I think I understand you even less than I do Monokuma." Hajime remarked, Monomi turning to him shocked, "Who the hell are you? What's your true identity? What do you want?"

"T…True identity…? That sounds so bombastic…" Monomi muttered, but Hajime's gaze didn't waver in the slightest, Monomi squirming, "…G…Goodbye!" And with that, she left out of nowhere again.

"Hrmph… She's run away as soon as things got uncomfortable for her… She's getting more suspicious by the minute." Hajime muttered.

"I wish you didn't have to run her off though…I could have used the help hiding these…I can't find a good place…" Mizuki mentioned, looking around as she set off to try and figure out a good spot again.

"If they are causing you such distress, why not simply destroy them?" Sonia suggested. Mizuki stiffened and turned.

"No way! Destroying a book is disrespectful!" Mizuki yelled determinedly, "No matter the reason, if you destroy a book you are disrespecting the written word! Books should be held with the utmost care, I cannot stand for anyone purposefully ruining one! I can barely handle someone ACCIDENTALLY ruining one! …Especially one of my own works…That would be awful…That would be a jinx on me ever writing again, destroying one of my published works…a mark of how far I've come…how lucky I am to be a published, successful author at such a young age…I could never do that…Even if I don't want my friends reading them, I'm proud of these works, just like all of my works…Every page, every sentence, word, letter, is filled with the utmost passion I could deliver…To destroy a symbol of that…unthinkable." Mizuki didn't say another word, walking off before any of them could respond.

"…She feels very strongly about books I suppose…" Hajime commented, "But I guess she was right about one thing…If Monomi did build this library, she would know all the places to hide something…"

"All the same, I cannot imagine someone like her building a library as big as this one alone…" Sonia admitted.

"Yeah, that must've been a lie." Hajime agreed, "What are you looking at?"

"A tourist brochure. According to this, there are many wealthy people taking long vacations on this island…This library was surely built using their contributions." Sonia explained.

"W…Wait. Did you just say 'tourist brochure'?" Hajime inquired.

"Oh, I found them on one of the tables here. Would you like to take a look?" Sonia wondered, handing it over. Hajime looked at it.

"T…That won't help me much… what language is this? I can't really understand anything but Japanese…"

"In that case, shall I read it to you?" Sonia inquired.

"You can read it?" Hajime wondered.

"Hee-hee! I can read and write 30 languages. It's a necessity for the royal family." Sonia told him, "Um, let's see… 'Jabberwock Island is a small archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, a paradise of everlasting summer filled with natural beauty.' …That's what it says. That's… just like what Byakuya told us a few days ago." Sonia recalled, then turning back to the pamphlet, "'Jabberwock comprises one small central island and a group of five islands surrounding it.'"

"'The resort was developed around the outer islands, and a magnificent administration building was built on the central island.'" Mizuki read over her shoulder.

"Hmm? Mizuki, you can read English as well?" Sonia remarked.

"Yeah…I can't speak it very well at all, but at the start of my career, with fanfictions, online posted poetry, comics, and original fiction, I didn't have huge publishing companies that could translate my works…So I learned two popular languages as best I could to translate them properly myself, and so if something didn't feel right after translation I knew enough about the language to change the work to still have the same meaning but flow properly." Mizuki explained, "So I only can read and write English and Spanish besides Japanese…I'm a little rusty admittedly, I've been slacking off since I got translators from companies…but I know enough."

"…Wait a moment, let's back up to that last part. That… can't be right, can it? I mean… what it says about the central island…" Hajime stated, Mizuki and Sonia looking thoughtful.

"Yeah, there's no trace of any buildings over there… All that's over there is Monokuma Rock and that park…" Sonia agreed.

"Is it possible you mistranslated Mizuki?" Hajime wondered.

"Yeah, like I said, it's been a while…"

"No, sad to say that is the correct translation of the text…" Sonia responded, "Though it does not make sense…"

"T…There's more. According to this pamphlet…" Mizuki continued, "The lobby of the administration building houses a statue representing the island…" Mizuki stopped, "But I haven't seen anything like that since arriving here…Have you two?"

"I think so…I…Is that…?!" Hajime wondered, "Is that the statue that 'became' the Monobeasts? But… the statue wasn't in any lobby. It was just standing there in the middle of the park, wasn't it?"

"That is correct…" Sonia agreed, "Mizuki, you and Biyuki wouldn't have seen it because it happened before your arrival…" Mizuki sighed.

"Great, another thing we missed…" Mizuki muttered, running a hand through her hair.

"It is rather sad…had you come with the rest of us, you would have gotten to experience the little bit of happiness afforded to us on this island before Monokuma arrived…" Sonia recalled sadly, "Before then…It seemed like we would get to all live here together peacefully…Then Monokuma arrived and ruined all of that…"

"…I wish I could have seen that…I really want all of us to get along again…" Mizuki admitted, sighing, "But that seems like a pipe dream at this point…What else does the pamphlet say?" Sonia looked back to the paper she was holding.

"According to the pamphlet, one moves between the five islands by a ferry boat service…" She told them.

"…Eh?" Hajime questioned.

"It seems there were some people requesting that bridges be built, but they were refused due to concern for the environment…" Mizuki agreed afterwards.

"W…What the hell? I mean… Didn't we just cross a bridge to get here?!" Hajime pointed out.

"…Could this… perhaps… be an artificial island, like Palm Jumeirah…?" Sonia suggested.

"Palm… what?" Mizuki and Hajime questioned in tandem.

"Palm Jumeirah is a tourist spot in the Persian gulf. It is a gigantic 5 kilometer square artificial island." Sonia explained, "I think this island might be the same… an artificial island made to look like Jabberwock…A…And that's why… there's no one else on this island but us…" They were all silent for the longest time, considering that possibility.

"…No… No, I take that back… For so large an island as this to be artificial… isn't possible…This must simply be an old tourist pamphlet. The circumstances on the island must have changed since it was written…" Sonia revised, looking away before Monokuma came back over.

"Dear me! An artificial island? That's some very sharp thinking!" Monokuma praised.

"Now you're interfering?!" Hajime exclaimed.

"But, such a huge undertaking could only be made possible by those guys!" Monokuma stated.

"…'Those guys'…?" Hajime questioned.

"I'll give you a hint. It's that 'huge organization' you guys were talking about earlier." Monokuma told them, "Yes, yes… that's quite a fitting description for such a fearsome group."

"W…Who are you talking about…?" Mizuki wondered, stepping forward.

"Oops… I said too much. Sorry, I have to split before word gets out on the net…" Monokuma teased, disappearing once more.

"H…Hey! Wait!" Hajime yelled after him, but it was no use.

"It couldn't possibly be true, could it…? This can't really be an artificial island…" Sonia muttered nervously.

"T…There's no way it is… I'm sure that's just an old pamphlet." Hajime assured. Mizuki looked silent and thoughtful.

"M-Mizuki…?" Sonia questioned.

"…As much as I hate to admit it…That we know of he hasn't actually LIED to us yet…" Mizuki muttered, "There's a lot he's said we can't confirm, like our memories and our past, a traitor…and a lot he's stretched the truth on, like giving us back any memories right after killing had commenced…He never said it would be right after, but he implied it enough to manipulate us…Since he never said it was true, I would take it with a grain of salt for now, but Monokuma doesn't seem to actually LIE to us to manipulate us…at least not yet…That's the one thing we can say for him…" The other two frowned, but they couldn't find a hole in the logic she supplied, looking away with forlorn looks. They without a word split to look around again, Mizuki hiding the books in random shelves as Sonia was looking at a random shelf, Hajime coming over to talk again.

"Hmmhmm… this is very interesting." Sonia muttered to herself.

"What are you reading? Something to do with politics or philosophy…?" Hajime suggested.

"It's the latest issue of an occult magazine whose mission is to uncover all kinds of mysterious underground mysteries!" Sonia told him eagerly.

"T…That's a little unexpected…" Hajime mentioned.

"I…It's not like I read it every month! But they have a special feature on serial killers this time!" Sonia defended. Hajime gave a wary smile.

' **Was that supposed to be an excuse…?'** He thought to himself.

"But… this writer sure has a discerning eye. Look! He's written a feature with a special focus on Genocider Syo!" Sonia exclaimed.

"Huh… I think I heard about that one somewhere…" Hajime related.

"He's Japan's representative serial killer! All of us enthusiasts love him! Even those who don't follow the scene surely at least know the name." Sonia fangirled a bit, "Genocider Syo is a splendid serial killer! The hope of the young generation, worthy of great praise! There are rumors he is actually a sailor-uniform wearing high-school or middle-school girl, so please be careful, Hajime!"

' **Does she realize how many school girls there are in Japan…?'** Hajime worried.

"Ah, but putting him aside… this is the one I am most interested in." Sonia told him, flipping the pages to show him, "This 'Kirakira-chan' has been a regular on these special features for some time, you see. But just in case, let me explain to you everything about him…Kirakira-chan is a self-appointed 'Warrior of Justice' serial killer! A delightful serial killer who wears masks of hero characters from all over the world, killing off criminals one by one!"

"S…Sonia…?" Hajime stuttered, worried at how excited she was.

"Because of the masks he wears, no one knows what Kirakira-chan's age or gender is. An air of mystery is indispensable for a serial killer! He scores most high on that account! Yes!" Sonia chirped, neither of them noticing a worried Peko and Mizuki had come over before Peko spoke.

"You two… I couldn't help but overhear your conversation just now, and…How can you speak so easily about something like serial killers?" Peko wondered.

"Hey, I'm just on the listening side here!" Hajime defended.

"Wait just one minute! I will not stand for referring to serial killers in such an offhand manner!" Sonia retorted, "Coming in contact with a set of values different from your own is a very important thing to do. And serial killers… are the very example of living fantastical existences with different values than ordinary people…This is all causing mammoth levels of excitement, isn't it?!" Mizuki blinked.

"Wow, you sound too much like Bi-kun right now…" Mizuki sighed, turning and smiling softly at Hajime, "Any who, I hid my books if you're done looking at everything, I think we can move on." Hajime nodded, giving a goodbye to the other two and leaving with Mizuki.

They walked along and the next thing they came across looked to be a big store, but the sign read Pharmacy. Mizuki smiled brightly, running inside before Hajime went after her curiously. The shelves were stocked with every kind of medicine Hajime knew about and several more as well. Mikan was eagerly browsing the shelves, as well as an eager Mizuki.

"Hawa… Hawawawa!" Mikan suddenly shouted when Hajime came over, making Hajime jump fearfully.

"W…What is it?" He asked.

"Ah… I'm sorry… I got so excited I just started yelling. Uyu… I just get so very very happy when people start talking to me…Until now… everyone always either thought I was gross or simply hated me…" Mikan apologized.

"A-Alright then…More importantly… is this a pharmacy? Sure is a big one." Hajime commented, "But… I guess there's no one here either."

"Um… now that I have access to this much medicine, I think I can take care of most wounds and illnesses…Hee hee… when you are not feeling well, come to me, okay? I'll give you lots of shots…" Mikan hummed happily, her smile growing, "Lots and lots and loooooots of shots!~" Mizuki seemed to stiffen at this and begin to nudge her way away, still looking at the bottles but glancing towards Mikan every now and then worriedly as Hajime forced a nervous smile.

"S-Sure…" He agreed worriedly, then walking over to Mizuki, "…What are you doing Mizuki?" Mizuki looked up and smiled brightly.

"Just stocking up on a few things I need." She told him, Hajime looking down to all the bottles and such in her arms.

' **That's a few…?'** He thought.

"What are all these for?" He questioned.

"Oh, um, mostly some stuff for my ADHD, lucky cause I only had a few doses on me, and an inhaler for my asthma…a little Flonase for allergies just in case, that kinda stuff." She muttered as she shoved them in, but Hajime noticed more than a few bottles of pain killers as well, deciding ultimately not to mention it.

"Well, doesn't look like there's much besides meds in here…I think I'm gonna head on." Hajime told her. Mizuki nodded.

"I have all the meds I need, I'll come too." She agreed with a smile, following Hajime out of the Pharmacy and saying a nervous goodbye to Mikan who kept browsing the shelves. They walked on until they saw what looked to be a restaurant, but Hajime couldn't quite make out the sign, unable to read English. Mizuki noticed and offered help.

"It says Diner." She told him, "It's a type of restaurant in America that serves all kinds of food; they're usually close to rest stops and such from the books I've read."

"Alright…Well… I guess we should look inside." Hajime stated, walking in with Mizuki following. The first thing they noticed was the only person there seemed to be…

"Fuyuhiko?" Mizuki called out, the other looking up.

"Oh, it's you two." Fuyuhiko muttered, "Can't you see I'm eating?! Scram, you shitheads!" He had a burger in one hand.

"Hey, how come you're here? How did you find out we can go to this island?" Hajime questioned.

"What are you, a monkey? Can't you understand human language?" Fuyuhiko growled, "I thought I just told you to leave me alone while I'm eating!" When Hajime and Mizuki didn't leave, still looking at him he sighed, "Hmph. That meddling idiot… showed up and started blabbering about it…So I came over here, found this place, and came in for a bite since I was hungry. There. Satisfied? Great. Now, get lost."

"Hey, about that 'meddling idiot'…" Hajime started.

"Aa?! I've had enough of you! This has nothing to do with you!" Fuyuhiko growled.

"…Of course it has something to do with me. I don't know what's on your mind, but… The fact remains that we're all in the same situation. Stuck here on this island together. And that's not all. There's no one else on this island but us. We have no choice but to work together." Hajime told him sincerely, "I'm sure you know that as well as the rest of us… So, why…Why are you avoiding us?!" Fuyuhiko frowned, but gave a look of begrudging respect to Hajime for standing up to him.

"Feh. It's not like I'm avoiding you because you're so special.…I decided some time ago to stop relying on anyone." Fuyuhiko admitted.

"…What?" Hajime wondered.

"Not even on the Kuzuryuu family… I'm going to go on living without depending on their power…" Fuyuhiko continued.

"Wait…Did you…?" Hajime considered.

"Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm yakuza through and through. It's not like I hate the idea of inheriting leadership of the family or anything. It's just that… I got a point to make. I'm gonna prove that I can do things alone, without relying on anyone." Fuyuhiko clarified, "…It's not like the family will go to ruin without me there, anyway. My little sister will be more than happy to take my place."

"Oh…? You have a little sister?" Mizuki questioned, finally piping up.

"S…Shut up! Who gave you permission to talk about that?!" Fuyuhiko growled, standing up and slamming a hand on the table.

"I…It was you who brought it up…" Hajime pointed out. Fuyuhiko huffed and turned.

"Anyway, I have no intention of hanging out with any of you idiots. It's not like teaming up is even the best idea here."

"I…It's not…?" Mizuki stuttered out.

"Hmf. No, it's not. In the situation we're in, sticking with other people just means shortening your own life span. Both Byakuya and Teruteru are proof of that. They concerned themselves with other people… and look what happened to them." Fuyuhiko huffed, crossing his arms, Mizuki bristling at the words in the corner of Hajime's sight, "Besides, all those dumb feelings would just get in the way when the time comes to kill!"

"Y…You're not still saying that, are you?" Hajime muttered with a sigh.

"Of course I am. I'm willing to sacrifice as many lives as necessary to save my own."

"Even if you don't really mean that, that's a very low thing to say…!" Hajime accused.

"Oh? So you decided to talk to me against my will and now you're getting all angry?" Fuyuhiko teased, "If you're that easily offended, you shouldn't have bothered me. Now, hurry up and—"

"Let's go Hajime." Mizuki stated, but looking to Fuyuhiko as she turned, "…You're wrong you know. Being kind and helping others isn't a weakness, not even here…And I don't think you're the mean person you try to paint yourself as."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?! YOU SAYING I'M WEAK?!" Fuyuhiko growled, Mizuki not flinching, just frowning.

"No…I'm saying deep down…I think you're really good and you care a lot. Maybe not about us just yet…But you do care." Mizuki replied, opening the door to leave, "Weakness isn't caring about someone. It's avoiding feelings because you don't want to face them." And without another word, she left, Hajime quickly following and leaving a stunned Fuyuhiko in the diner. Hajime followed, watching Mizuki as she kept walking, tense for a while before she began to take in deep breaths, letting her anger go as they began walking towards a tunnel labeled 'Chandler Beach'.

"…Did you mean what you said back there?" Hajime wondered.

"About what?" Mizuki retorted.

"About Fuyuhiko. You think THAT GUY is really good and cares a lot?"

"Yeah…I do."

"…Why? He's done nothing but be a jerk since we got here…."

"…Just like a bully."

"…What are you talking about?"

"I know types of bullies. I've dealt with them enough. He's not the type that's just mean to be mean…He's acting tough because of something else…" Mizuki replied, looking up at the sky before they started down the tunnel, "…I've got my guess, but you don't need to tell anyone I said this, right?"

"Okay, tell me your guess."

"…I think it's cause he's a Yakuza, but kind of adorable…probably gets teased more than his fair share for it, I'd bet…Also probably why he doesn't want to just get by on his families name…He doesn't just want to have people trembling and respecting him because he's a Kuzuryuu…But because they respect HIM, as Fuyuhiko." Mizuki looked back to Hajime, "Know what I mean?" Hajime nodded slightly.

"I guess so…You have really strong feelings about weakness, huh Mizuki?"

"…I guess you could say that, yeah."

"…Why is that?" Hajime wondered. Mizuki was quiet for a moment, looking like she was about to answer before—

"…UGYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"…A scream?!" Mizuki questioned.

"I think that was… Ibuki's voice right now!" Hajime replied, the two running through the tunnel at high speed. They got to a beach, immediately laying eyes upon Ibuki as they ran towards her.

"shock shock shock shock shock shock" She was repeating over and over.

"What's wrong, Ibuki?! Did something happen?!" Hajime questioned worriedly.

"it's terrible! so terrible ibuki has no time to capitalize her lines!"

"What happened?" Mizuki tried to question, looking her over worriedly.

"M…Mutual killing… People are mutual killing again!" Ibuki yelled.

"What?!" Mizuki and Hajime wondered at the same time.

"Look! Over there!" Ibuki pointed out, the two turning and looking down the beach to see Akane and Nekomaru fighting hardcore, and giving it their all.

"Dadadadadadadadadadada!" Akane shouted as she attacked in rapid succession.

"You rely too much on speed! Where is the form?! Your punches are all far too soft!" Nekomaru advised as he blocked her.

"…W…What the hell?!" Hajime stuttered out.

"The way you apply your raw strength is no good! You were given an incredibly flexible body, and you're throwing it away!" Nekomaru criticized.

"Shut up! None of this stuff matters if I win! All I have to do is win!" Akane asserted.

"Oh? You think you can take me?" Nekomaru wondered, "DON'T… BE… ABSUUUUUUUUUUUUUURD!" He gave a heavy punch straight into Akane's gut.

"GUWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Akane exclaimed as she flew backwards.

"…How about it? Do you understand now?!" Nekomaru questioned.

"DINGDINGDING! I think we have a winner folks! Nekomaru Nidai with the punch that threw Akane across the beach!" Biyuki announced from the spot on the beach she'd been sitting, holding up her hand like she had a microphone and was announcing a heavy-weight bout.

"It's over! The battle's been won with Nekomaru Nidai's killer technique, the Super Body Blow!" Ibuki cried out, "That means instant death! At the very most, she has 5 more minutes to live!"

"Akane… This is as far as your strength will take you. You cannot even win against a mere coach." Nekomaru advised.

"I wouldn't call you just a mere coach Nekomaru, you have some serious force behind ya!" Biyuki told him with a smile.

"W…What the hell?! What was that fight all about?!" Hajime demanded.

"Ku… That was no 'fight'." Nekomaru scoffed.

"Sure wasn't! More like a straight-up beat down!" Ibuki agreed.

"T…That's even worse!" Hajime stuttered, "The field trip's rules prohibit excessive violence, remember?"

"Exactly, so you should calm down Hajime." Mizuki replied, Hajime looking over alarmed.

"WHAT?!"

"Remember how Monomi said that littering was against school rules, and the second it happened alarms would sound off across the island?"

"Yeah…So…?"

"So what do you think would happen if the rule about violence was broken?" Mizuki wondered, "If something as small as littering-though a serious crime for the environment if done-sets off a barrage of alarms? And I don't see Monokuma or Monomi anywhere around..."

"So stabbing Byakuya wouldn't have counted?" Hajime replied with a raised brow and crossed arms. Mizuki pouted.

"...Okay so you've got me there. Maybe cause that was a murder…? It lined up with Monokuma's game I guess…And someone did get punished through the trial…" Mizuki tried.

"You two can stop bickering about what would have happened, this has nothing to do with violence! That was no real battle! We were training!" Nekomaru clarified.

"It sure looked real!" Hajime responded.

"Ku… I am just a coach, am I not? What makes you think I'm even capable of a real battle?" Nekomaru wondered, "As long as both sides consent, training is training! We did not budge an inch from the rules!"

"Just a coach? I don't think you give yourself enough credit, that was some wicked damage!" Biyuki spoke up again, "But I can confirm, I was here when they decided to do it! They made me the judge after all~"

"A…alright, let's say it was consented, but… why this training all of a sudden?" Hajime questioned.

"Pfeh… I…If you insist on asking…" Akane stuttered out as she stood.

"Ah! She's alive!" Ibuki yelled, hiding behind Mizuki.

"Of course she is. That amount of beating is not enough to bring someone like her down." Nekomaru sighed.

"H…He seemed like a strong dude… and I couldn't hold myself anymore…" Akane replied, "I thought if I didn't have a good fight soon I'd lose my mind… Feh. And I lost." Akane smiled, "There sure are lots of strong people in this world!" Ibuki came out from hiding behind Mizuki.

"They sure are a troubled bunch, that warrior race!" She sighed.

"Akane… You seem to be the type who learns with your body instead of through words…" Nekomaru started, looking at her seriously, "Therefore, I will give you just one piece of advice. The way you use your body and your physical strength… your timing and intervals are all mediocre. You have a talent worthy of being called an 'Ultimate Gymnast', yet you do not even begin to apply it to its full extent." He looked up and into her eyes seriously, "The basics! You must work on your basics! If you just keep relying on intuition you will never rise to be first class!"

"S…Shut up… Dammit…" Akane stuttered out, looking away.

"When you finally understand the meaning of my words, come back to me. When you do… I will fight you again." Nekomaru reasoned.

"Don't think I'll forget that promise. I absolutely hate to lose." Akane growled, "I won't give up until I beat you!" And with that, Akane turned and left, wobbling slightly.

"Will she be okay like that on her own…?" Mizuki worried.

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Nekomaru assured, "Nevertheless… My hand is still numb. To come this far with only raw talent… There is something prodigious about her."

"Much potential does Ibuki sense in that one…"

"Yes. Much potential." Nekomaru agreed, looking off the beach after her, Biyuki nodding slightly.

"…Alright then…Bi-kun, you okay hanging out with Nekomaru and Ibuki still then, or…?" Mizuki wondered, unsure what to make of this. Biyuki turned and nodded with a smile.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Nekomaru's actually really cool!" Biyuki replied, smiling widely, eyes sparkling with admiration for the large man.

"What about Ibuki?! Ibuki's cool too right?!"

"…Yeah, you're cool too." Biyuki sighed; looking away like she was annoyed, but Hajime could note a small smile on her lips.

"Yaaayyy!~" Ibuki yelled out.

"Alright then, I'm going to hang with Hajime a little more then!" Mizuki told her with a bright smile.

"Alright! Take good care of her Hajime!~" Biyuki hummed, then her look turning serious as he passed, whispering to him, "I find a scratch on her I'll be painting my next picture in your blood." Hajime turning white and gulping, giving a nod as he kept heading down the beach, Mizuki following him with a smile, oblivious of the threat as they came upon a beach house, walking in, the place was luxurious, tile floors, wicker furniture, a chandelier, a fancy stone bench, and large drink coolers, Kazuichi standing in the middle of the room looking around himself. There was also a trash can by the drink machine. Mizuki went over to the drink machine first.

"Water, canned coffee, juice…AH-HA!" Mizuki smiled as she pulled out a bottle, "YAY!~ Ramune!~" She purred happily, going and opening up the bottle as she began to gulp it down happily. Hajime chuckled slightly and shook his head, then looking around before spotting a door, walking inside. It was a closet, with wetsuits, surf boards, all sorts of stuff for watersports. Hajime decided to leave it for now at least, then seeing another door and walking in to find a shower room, though there was a note written in English he couldn't read there was an illustration suggesting it might be under construction or something…? Then he remembered Mizuki was there, and turned.

"Hey, Mizuki, could you translate this for me?" Hajime requested. Mizuki looked up from her bottle and smiled, giving a nod as she ran over.

"Sure thing Hajime!" She agreed, looking the note over, "'The shower room is currently having plumbing problems! There is no running water! Sorry for the inconvenience!'" She translated, looking to Hajime, "Looks like the pipes are having issues…A little surprising for a place as nice as this."

"Yeah, I would say so…" Hajime muttered, wondering why it wasn't fixed, Kazuichi walking over to them.

"Hey, this place is nice, isn't it? I feel like a celebrity or something." Kazuichi chuckled out, "OK, the shower's busted, but the atmosphere's pretty great… and the drinks're free! Heh heh… And on top of that, the beach is right outside. And it's a proper private beach, too! It's nothing like those so-called 'beaches' back in the city… trash and rubble everywhere…"

"Well, there's no one but us on these islands, so… isn't every beach here a private beach?" Hajime reasoned.

"Oi, oi… don't say things like that! You're gonna ruin my mood!" Kazuichi whined, "More importantly, how 'bout we treat ourselves to a swim here later?!"

"That'd be great! Swimming in such a gorgeous ocean is the best!" Mizuki cheered excitedly.

' **They're as easygoing as always… Well, I guess it's not such a bad thing.'** Hajime considered, watching as the two chattered.

"Sigh… I wonder if Sonia'd come too… I wanna see her in a swimsuit…" Kazuichi hummed. All of a sudden, Monomi popped up.

"You can't!" She told them.

"Whoa! She's here!" Kazuichi exclaimed, "I mean, why not?! D'you think you can interfere with our growing love affair?!" Monomi shook her head, huffing.

"It is forbidden to change clothes in the beach house! If someone decides to shamelessly peek, it would be terrible!" Monomi warned.

"Aha… so it's not about swimming. We just can't change into swimsuits over here…" Mizuki reasoned.

"Well, you ain't stopping me! We'll just change at the hotel, then come here! When life gives you lemons, you make Limoncello!" Kazuichi yelled.

"Lemonade. You make lemonade." Hajime sighed.

"In any case, you can't break the rules. Besides, it's fine if you want to have fun but don't forget your studies…" Monomi warned.

"Studies? What stud-?" Mizuki started to sass before Monokuma showed up, armed to the teeth with guns and ammo and such.

"W…Where is it?! Who's breaking the rules?! I'll blow them away right now, no questions asked!" Monokuma asserted.

"Kyaa! He's here!" Monomi cried out.

"W…What the hell are you carrying…?" Hajime questioned.

"… A machine gun, of course…" Monokuma said after panting a bit, "Shooting down whoever's breaking the rules… that's just common sense, isn't it!"

"What's common sense about that?! That's more like a military dictatorship!" Kazuichi accused.

"Watch where ya point that thing!" Mizuki warned, moving out of the way of the barrel.

"Aww… I wanted to shoot it so much… I know that I can't… but I really want to!" Monokuma whined.

"H…Have some self-control!" Monomi chastised.

"I… shall endure. I have an iron will, so I can endure until someone breaks some rules!" Monokuma determined before disappearing once more.

"U…Um… As you can see, it is very dangerous, so please refrain from changing at the beach house." Monomi warned again before leaving as well.

"…The hell was that all about…? Anyway… They're both really annoying…" Kazuichi muttered.

"…Yeah. I've gotten really tired all of a sudden." Hajime agreed, rubbing his neck. Mizuki frowned at the drop of energy in the room, sighing slightly as she looked out the window. Though, Hajime remembered something and turned back to Kazuichi.

"Ah, now that I think about it…" Hajime started, "I just remembered there's something I want to ask you."

"…Huh? What's up?" Kazuichi wondered.

"You know, about Nagito…"

"Eep?!"

"He's still nowhere to be found… Are you sure you know nothing about that?" Hajime asserted.

"I… I dunno nothin'… I told ya, don't ask me…" Kazuichi replied, "Anyway, who cares what happens to that mental weirdo! Exploring this island's far more important! There's gotta be something here that can help us get back home! So no more of this! Enough! Over and out!" Kazuichi turned, looking like he was going to leave, but then Chiaki walked in.

"…Ah, Hajime, Mizuki, Kazuichi, you're all here. Good." Chiaki stated.

"Chiaki… what's wrong?" Hajime wondered.

"…Um… I'm calling everyone right now. Can you come to the ruins on this island, ASAP? You can, can't you? Come quickly. Hurry up." Chiaki stated, leaving again.

"…She didn't leave any time to answer…" Hajime muttered.

"Heh, Well, I guess we should all head that way!~" Mizuki chirped, "Seeing everyone again will be fun!" Hajime nodded, the three making their way towards the ruins. It wasn't long till they arrived, converging with the others at the location.

"What is this…? What is such a huge building doing here?" Nekomaru wondered as he looked up at it.

"It is completely weathered down… It seems much like an old ruin, does it not?" Sonia pointed out. Mizuki looked up as Mahiru and Hiyoko showed up.

"Where were you two? I haven't seen you on this island at all yet." Mizuki stated.

"Sorry…Hiyoko wanted to take a shower immediately…But we're here now." Mahiru told them.

"Yeah, so stop griping." Hiyoko huffed.

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen Gundham-kun around yet either…And there's still no sign of Nagito-kun…" Biyuki sighed, Hajime turning and raising a brow.

'… **Gundham-kun and Nagito-kun? …That's a little…sweetly to be talking about them for Biyuki…'** Hajime considered.

"W-who cares about Nagito?!" Kazuichi asserted again.

"R-Right!" Nekomaru agreed, "A-As for Gundham though, I haven't really seen him around either…" Just then, Gundham walked up, crossing his arms.

"Never fret mortals, Gundham Tanaka is still here. My Four Dark Gods of Destruction hungered, so I stopped to feed them with the seeds of evil to stop them from devouring all of your souls! Do not worry, there is no need to thank me. When the world bows before me I will simply accept your loyalty." Gundham told them.

"Gundham-kun is so considerate~" Biyuki sighed happily, even Mizuki looking at her questioningly now.

"…Anyways…back to the building…I don't think it's 'much like' an old ruin… I think it is an old ruin." Peko replied.

"Um… Does anyone else think it kinda looks like… a school?" Mahiru wondered.

"A school…?" Mizuki muttered.

"Now that she said it… it's true. There's certainly something school-like about it." Hajime agreed thoughtfully, "In fact, it looks a lot like…Like… Hope's Peak Academy…"

Everyone was silent.

"B-But… was there really anything special about that school building? There are bound to be other buildings all over the world that look like it…" Mikan finally stuttered out, shifting around.

"Y-yeah…It's just a coincidence…" Mahiru stated, looking at the building for a moment.

"…So, what'd ya find, Chiaki? You… did find something, right?" Kazuichi inquired, trying to change the subject.

"If it's something boring, I'm gonna kill you…" Fuyuhiko growled.

"Hey, what are you even doing here?" Mahiru questioned, frowning.

"That girl can be very persistent… I came just to shut her up." Fuyuhiko stated, crossing his arms. He then cast a small glance at Mizuki, looking at her curiously. Hajime could only imagine he was probably thinking about what happened earlier, but when Mizuki looked to him he looked away like it had never happened. She raised a brow, Hajime seeing the faintest hint of a smile playing across her lips.

"Could it be that Chiaki's already found a way off the island?" Ibuki suggested hopefully.

"No, that's not it." Chiaki told them.

"What else could be so important? I'd much rather play in the bathtub with big sis Mahiru!" Hiyoko stated with a smile.

"So… what is it that you found?" Gundham wondered. Chiaki stayed silent for a moment, looking thoughtful.

"So…if it's not something that can help us off the island… does it have to do with the island's secret?" Hajime suggested.

"…Hmmm… I am not so sure about that myself." Chiaki muttered, looking away thoughtfully.

"…What do you mean?" Hajime questioned.

"There is something… unbalanced about this building. Something that's clearly unnatural. It's like… taking a manga about baseball and making a side-scrolling action game based on it…It's that level of unnaturalness." Chiaki replied.

"…I'm not sure I follow." Hajime admitted.

"I do, but I don't know what's unbalanced like that…." Biyuki muttered, looking the school over.

"Here. Take a look at that door." Chiaki suggested.

"Door…?" Hajime wondered, looking over to it, the door covered in dust, "This thing is so dusty I can't make any details… Is this the door?"

"Yeah. That seems to be the door to these ruins." Chiaki confirmed.

"So, what's so special about it? Can we go inside?" Mahiru questioned.

"Before we try going inside…First, let's try sweeping all the dust off. If we do that… you'll see what I meant when I said this place is 'unnatural'… I think." Chiaki recommended.

"I don't really get you… but whadda we got to lose?" Kazuichi shrugged off.

"Y…Yeah…" Hajime agreed. Mizuki stepped back a lost.

"I'll be back here if ya need me…Dust like that will kick up my asthma fast…" Mizuki told them, pulling her hoodie over her face. They went forward and began to clear all of the dust and vegetation off, shocked at what was revealed.

"What the…? This door doesn't look like it belongs in a ruin at all…!" Hajime stated, looking the futuristic vault door over with shock.

"It looks like… something out of a science fiction movie, doesn't it? She's right, it does seem out of balance…" Mahiru agreed, looking it over closely.

"That's not all… what's that mark on the door?" Hajime pointed out.

"Hmmm… It appears to be letters of some sort…" Nekomaru puzzled.

"Ah! He's right!" Ibuki exclaimed.

"U…Um… I'm sorry if I'm wrong, but…I think the word that's written here is 'Future'…" Mikan told them.

"…Future?" Hajime breathed out.

"Oi, who cares about what's written on that door?! Instead of worrying about that, we should look for a way to open it! We have to see what's inside, don't we?!" Fuyuhiko barked at them.

"We should be careful though…We don't know what's in there…A vault door like this…It might be meant to keep people out of course, for something valuable, or…It could be meant to keep something in and away to protect others…" Mizuki suggested, looking at it worriedly.

"Well it could hold a way to get off the island…So it's worth looking into. I think that's an LCD panel next to the door… Maybe that has something to do with it?" Mahiru suggested.

"Yeah, that's it! That has to be the key!" Fuyuhiko agreed, "I'm sure if we type in a password or something, the door will open!"

"Yeah, yeah, you're a genius. But, so what?" Hiyoko sighed, "We don't have a single hint. It would be impossible to figure out the password. Or are you saying that what's impossible for the average person is easy with your Yakuza superpowers? Impressive!" Hiyoko teased.

"S…Shut up… We can at least try guessing… Who knows, we might hit the jackpot." Fuyuhiko suggested.

"Ah. I think it's better to wait. Doesn't that look dangerous?" Chiaki pointed out.

"Aa? What the hell do you mean?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"I mean… doesn't that thing next to the panel look like a gun? …That is, it is a gun, isn't it?" Chiaki considered.

"A… gun…? What?! That's a gun?!" Hajime freaked out.

"If it is… this might be dangerous. It's possible we'll get shot if we type in the wrong password… right?" Chiaki reasoned thoughtfully.

"Keh…! S…Seems like we're out of options… We have to give up… for now." Fuyuhiko muttered, looking away.

"Pffft… Gotten scared?" Hiyoko mocked.

"I told you to shut up! Or maybe you'd prefer to try it yourself?!" Fuyuhiko huffed.

"But… for such a ruins-like building to be sealed with a door straight out of science fiction…As I said, it's unnatural. I'm sure this place is special." Chiaki stated.

"The question is… what's special about it?" Kazuichi wondered.

"Um…" Monomi trailed off as she appeared out of nowhere.

"Um…" Monokuma echoed as he too appeared from nowhere.

"…No comment out of either of you?" Peko huffed, crossing her arms.

"You two must know all about this building! Go on, spill!" Akane demanded.

"No… I know absolutely nothing about it…" Monomi whimpered.

"Me too… I have no clue…" Monokuma told them, turning.

"Anyway… You should all go gathering Hope Shards now…" Monomi suggested.

"Are you kidding?! The two of you? Know nothing? You really think we're gonna buy that?!" Kazuichi shouted at them.

"This door was even hidden under a thick layer of dust… That was also your work, wasn't it?" Hiyoko suggested.

"Do you mean they hid it on purpose? That does make sense…" Mikan commented.

"Will you do me a favor and stop talking back like an equal? Know your place, trash-girl."

"Hiii! I…I'm sorry!"

"Apologize, right now!"

"I…I just did, didn't I?! I said I'm sorry…!"

"Perhaps… the fact that the island's residents aren't around has to do with this heavily armored door?" Nekomaru considered, ignoring the other two's fight, "Could this place be, in essence, a shelter where the residents are hiding?"

"Did something really happen here that requires a shelter? In that case… aren't we in danger as well?" Mahiru worried.

"Hmmm… Lots of possibilities are crossing my mind…But, it doesn't seem we'll be able to confirm them right now. This door is incredibly sturdy, you see." Monokuma stated, "I don't mean that just in the physical sense. Its very essence is the same."

"…Huh? What are you saying?" Akane asked.

"You see… Me and Monomi may have the power to appear and disappear at will, but we can't go inside this door." Monokuma explained.

"Eh? You can't enter it either? That means that just like me…" Monomi thought aloud, trailing off.

"Hey! Enough careless remarks out of you!" Monokuma shouted, attacking with a glowing meteor attack.

"Ugyaaaaaaaaaa! Being hit by a faster-than-sound meteor attack is really bad for my health!"

"Well, then. Now that I've silenced my little sister with my fantastic Pegasus Fist, let's continue…This is Jabberwock's mystery, you see. A mystery even me and Monomi can't solve." Monokuma pointed out, "Which is why I have high expectations from you guys! I fully expect you to overcome this hurdle yourselves!"

"Oh? We can easily do that, you know. All we have to do is ask. Remember what that black and white raccoon told us a couple of days ago?" Fuyuhiko suggested with a smirk.

"There is a 'traitor' among us. That's what that mess of a raccoon said." Hiyoko recounted.

"Ahahaha! You may call me a mess or a raccoon, but I won't get depressed!" Monokuma asserted.

"You sure look like you did!" Ibuki commented.

"That 'traitor' must know, right? They have to know how to open this door…I'm sure there's a boat or some way to communicate with the outside world hidden behind it." Fuyuhiko reasoned.

"Or perhaps… that's where whoever is operating Monokuma and Monomi are hiding!" Mahiru suggested.

"B…But… do we really have a traitor among us?" Mikan stuttered.

"Of course we do! Who is it? Come out and reveal yourself right now!" Fuyuhiko demanded.

"Calm down will you?!" Mahiru chastised.

"T…There is no traitor… No one here is a traitor!" Monomi asserted.

"Hey, Monokuma! How about it? It was you who told us about it in the first place…" Fuyuhiko muttered.

"Upupupupupu…" He laughed out.

"…Is something funny?" Gundham wondered.

"By the way, are you bastards aware of the organization known as the World Destroyers?" Monokuma changed the subject.

"…The World Destroyers?" Hajime questioned.

"H…Hey, we're asking the questions here. Don't just change the subject!" Fuyuhiko yelled out.

"I understand why you want to avoid it… That's such an embarrassing title, 'World Destroyers'. That's not even something you'd come up with in elementary school. It's like a kindergarten kid made up that name!" Monokuma sighed, shaking his head, "But they really exist, so there's nothing we can do about it! There really is such an organization!"

"And what is this… organization?" Peko inquired.

"Just like their name says…They destroyed the world!" Monokuma chirped.

"D…Destroyed the world?!" Mikan yelled.

"This is not an exaggeration or a metaphor. These guys really did destroy the world. So that title, 'World Destroyers', is actually very appropriate, don't you think?" Monokuma hummed.

"Then these people are… terrorists of some kind?" Peko suggested.

"Terrorists, huh…? I guess you could call them that. But, 'terrorists' is the title given to the losers. Once they win, they become known as 'heroes'." Monokuma stated, giving a glance to Mizuki that she didn't quite like, "And so… I guess these guys are heroes. They're heroes who destroyed the world!"

"S…Stop being so incomprehensible! What are you trying to say?" Mahiru demanded.

"Are you saying they're the ones who put us in this situation?" Biyuki questioned, frowning.

"'World Destroyers'? What the hell? Doesn't that make Monokuma and Monomi also members of that organization?" Nekomaru muttered.

"Who knows? I can only say one thing…Both the true identity of the traitor, and whoever brought you bastards to this island…It's all part of the World Destroyers' plan." Monokuma told them.

"W…What the hell did we do to be targeted by such a scary organization?!" Kazuichi cried out.

"Don't fall for this! This is just like that nonsense about our supposed missing memories. A bluff, to try and back us into a corner. There is a limit to foolishness, and 'the World Destroyers' crosses it…There is no such organization… and no traitor!" Peko asserted.

"Monokuma. I will listen to your jests later, as I smoke a cigar standing over your corpse." Gundham told him.

"Gundham you smoke?!" Mizuki yelled out.

"Sigh… I did my best to tell you all that, and you're calling me a liar?! Grr… When I'm treated like that, strange things happen to all sorts of regions in my body!" Monokuma growled at them, "Anyway, it's the truth! The World Destroyers are this island's final boss! And in addition, at least one of their members has managed to sneak into your group! That's why you must find out who it is… and kill them!"

"W…Wait! If you don't stop now…!" Monomi yelled.

"You're being too loud again, Monomi! Punishment awaits little sisters who don't obey their brothers!" Monokuma told her, pulling her ears, "Noooo! Don't pull my ears! Y…You're going to tear them off!" And with that, they left.

"W…What was that all about?" Hajime wondered.

"Anyone here get any of that…?" Kazuichi sighed.

"Not one bit." Sonia admitted.

"Yaaaaaaawn…" Chiaki yawned, "Anyway… it's getting late. How about we go back for today? We'll get nowhere if we try to think about it too hard… I think."

"I…I guess you're right, but…" Hajime considered.

"Well, it will get dark soon, so it probably is best to quit for today.…So, see you guys tomorrow." Mahiru stated.

"Alright, goodnight." Biyuki agreed, everyone heading back towards the cottages. Monokuma's announcement hadn't even gone off yet, but Hajime was so exhausted from the mental and physical strain of the day that the second he got home he flopped down onto his bed, falling asleep.

Hajime woke up to the ding dong ding dong that sounded around his room the next morning, sitting up groggily as he watched the screen fizzle to life and display Monokuma once more.

"Um, This is an announcement from Hope's Peak Academy's Field Trip Executive Committee…Good morning, students! It's another perfect tropical day! Let's enjoy it for all it's worth!" He stated before the screen went dark once more.

'Morning already…?' Hajime thought to himself, rubbing his eyes as he got out of bed, 'Ugh… The night went by way too fast. Feels like I haven't slept at all…And so… I still feel drowsy. But… I'm also hungry, so I guess I should go to the restaurant and get some breakfast.' Hajime sighed as he got out of bed, getting ready and leaving, deciding to talk to some people along the way, seeing Gundham first.

"Hey, Gundham." Hajime grumbled, rubbing his eyes again as he tried to blink the sleep away.

"Waste not my time with your drivel… human." Gundham responded, alarming Hajime.

"What the…?"

"Today, the wind carries the wandering souls of the substantial one and the pretentious one…What destiny awaits them? The warm bosom of the Holy Mother, or the flames of Gehenna? You ought offer them a prayer, son of man. Who knows… it might just save their souls." Gundham announced, "Heh heh heh… Well, then. I am going ahead…" He turned and left, Hajime sighing and going to follow, and that's when Hajime noticed Biyuki hiding in the bushes and watching after Gundham.

"Biyuki…? What are you doing?" Hajime wondered. Biyuki looked up and blinked then gave a smile.

"Oh, hi Hajime. Just…Um…Looking for Mizuki!" Biyuki defended, "Did you see her?" Biyuki looked to make sure Gundham was out of sight then stepped out of the bushes, brushing herself off.

"Um…No…Not yet….Biyuki, are you sure you weren't, erm, watching G-?"

"D-Don't be ridiculous! And I thought I told you not to call me Biyuki! It's Yanii! Don't forget it!" Biyuki fired back with a hot blush, turning and walking away before Hajime could say anything else.

'… **I guess that's that…for now at least…'** Hajime considered as he turned and walked further away, then seeing Sonia, talking lightly to herself.

"Sigh… I miss the Japanese nikorogashi my servant used to make." She sighed to herself, "But, I cannot fight my empty stomach, so I will go have some breakfast." She turned and left before Hajime could say a single word to her. Hajime sighed and turned, going to talk to Ibuki who seemed much more welcoming this morning.

"Good momomomomomomomomomorning!" Ibuki greeted, "Did you count how many times Ibuki said 'mo'?!"

"Not really." Hajime admitted.

"Hyaaa! Your cool, indifferent stare gives Ibuki shivers all over! But, you should play along some mo'! Go ahead, hit Ibuki with your best comeback!" Ibuki demanded, then when Hajime didn't immediately reply, Ibuki looked away a little, "Ibuki had Byakuya on her mind and felt a little sad, so she made a joke that's great for a good comeback!"

"You… had Byakuya on your mind?" Hajime questioned.

"Of course! Byakuya may have had pork feet, but he was also a super-cool person!" Ibuki asserted, "Keeping a promise you made to yourself might seem easy, but Ibuki thinks it's actually super difficult."

"Yeah… Especially under these circumstances." Hajime agreed, looking down.

' **And in the end… it cost him his life…'** Hajime thought to himself.

"When Ibuki thinks what might've been if he hadn't had pork feet… Ooh, this sucks even more!" Ibuki cried out then turning, "Okay, I'll be at the restaurant! Adieu!" Then she left eagerly. With that Hajime thought he might have had enough talking for now and needed some breakfast, headed up the stairs after everyone to run into them at the top of the stairs, all gawking at something.

"H-hey, what's going-?" Hajime started to wonder, pushing past them before laying his eyes upon what they saw, "WOAH!"

There, in the middle of the dining hall, Mizuki held onto Fuyuhiko's tie as she kissed him hard, the gangster looking shocked with wide eyes and flushed cheeks as Mizuki kissed him eagerly, everyone else watching aghast before Fuyuhiko finally seemed to get ahold of himself and pushed Mizuki away.

"G-GET OFF ME YOU F-FUCKIN' PS-SYCHO!" Fuyuhiko stuttered out, wiping off his mouth as he backed up, looking at her with a creased brow and flushed cheeks, looking at her with a mix of emotions swirling in his eyes.

"N-No way...F-Fuyuhiko and Mizuki?!" Mahiru exclaimed.

"No way…No way!" Kazuichi yelled out, "There's no way she'd be into him, right?! After all he's the one always threatening to kill all of us and she's the one being a ray of sunshine! I know people say opposites attract but this is ridiculous…"

"W-We aren't together dumbass!" Fuyuhiko growled, gritting his teeth as he turned to him, "Sh-She k-kissed me out of nowhere!"

"Well, I don't think that's-"

"No, he's telling the truth."

"WHAAATTT?!"

"I thought he was cute and went for it, he obviously doesn't feel the same way, so we're done here." Mizuki replied with a shrug, "It's not that big of a deal…"

"N-NOT A BIG-?! Y-YOU ASSAULTED ME OUT OF N-NOWHERE!" Fuyuhiko was practically squeaking at this point, obviously flustered.

"You should take responsibility for your actions." Peko agreed with a frown.

"I am, to the extent desired. I'm admitting it was me aren't I? And I'm not unwilling to take any responsibility required that is rational for kissing him, but to me it just isn't that big of a de-AAAAAAAAALLLL!" Mizuki cried out as Biyuki took her by her ear and started dragging her away.

"That's it, come on 'Virus' you're sitting in the corner today, no more interaction for you!" Biyuki chastised.

"But Bi-kuuuunnn!"

"No, I can't believe you would pull this again! This is insanity! Corner, NOW!" Mizuki pouted but did as Biyuki said, sitting in the corner and munching on some bacon as Biyuki frowned at her before turning back to the group.

"I'm sorry about her actions, if we could just continue with breakfast though it would probably be better than focusing on it." Biyuki advised as Fuyuhiko was still blushing, hand over his lips as he looked away, the heat in his cheeks fierce as he kept giving flustered side glares towards the 'punished' Mizuki.

"Alright then…So….Hajime! Whaddya think?" Kazuichi started.

"About the kiss…?" Hajime treaded lightly, Fuyuhiko glaring at him like he was planning to kill him for another word.

"No, no, though that's pretty out there…The traitor! The World Destroyers! All that stuff! How 'bout it? You figured anything out yet?" Kazuichi wondered.

"It's been one night. How could I possibly have figured anything out?" Hajime retorted.

"Yeah, he's right. Same here." Mahiru stated.

"Besides, I could not sleep well. It must have been because of all the cryptic stories we heard." Peko muttered, looking to Mizuki every now and then with a side glance.

"B…But… is it really true…? Is there really a traitor among us…?" Mikan stuttered out.

"Don't worry! There is no need to worry about the traitor!" Nekomaru told her.

"B…But… if worst comes to worst…?" Mikan tried.

"Impossible! Nothing is going to happen! There's no need to worry about any traitor anymore!" Nekomaru asserted.

"Huh? How come you're so sure of yourself?" Hiyoko questioned.

"Of course I'm sure! That traitor is already tied up. He's not going anywhere!"

"…Eh?" Hajime wondered.

"Tied… up…?" Sonia puzzled, "Um… could you perhaps be talking about… Nagito, who we have not seen since yesterday?"

"Huh? Nagito-kun?" Biyuki perked up, paying much better attention now.

"Who else could it be?! THE TRAITOR IS NONE OTHER THAN NAGITOOOOOOOO!"

"W…What the hell? He's tied up and not going anywhere…?" Hajime trailed off. Nekomaru paused and blinked then looked shocked.

"OH CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!" Nekomaru yelled, turning to Kazuichi, "What're we gonna do, Kazuichi?!"

"You idiot! Don't pass it to me! You wanna blow my cover as well a-AAAAAAAH!"

"How refreshing, two idiots banding together!" Hiyoko giggled.

"It's not like it's that surprising honestly…The two have BOTH been acting weird since yesterday." Biyuki commented.

"…Wait, what did you two do?" Mahiru demanded.

"N…No… That is…" Kazuichi trailed off, looking around then sighing and looking back more sure of himself, "What, were we supposed to just leave him alone?! That guy's dangerous!"

"Because of him, Teruteru…!" Nekomaru grit his teeth and clenched his fist, closing his eyes, "In other words, he is also a culprit! Culprits require proper handling!"

"And so, you tied him up…" Peko reasoned, "But… I guess that is unavoidable. That man is, indeed, dangerous."

"He was a little creepy… Ah, I don't mean to insult him or anything." Mikan assured them.

"He was creepy to the max, not just a little! He could do a super-weirdo exhibition as a one man show!" Ibuki cried out.

"That was a fine analogy, songful one. Indeed, there is no more troubling a presence than a man whose nature you find inscrutable." Gundham agreed, looking away, "What does he like and dislike? What are his goals? How does he approach a problem? What angers him? One takes one's own experience as a standard upon which one bases their expectations of others…When another subverts your expectations… They subvert you. A man with such qualities is a fearsome presence indeed. It is… impossible to relate to one such as that."

"Well said Gundham-kun!~" Biyuki sighed happily. Mizuki stood up from the table she was at and came over, frowning at them all.

"I…I don't know if it's right." Mizuki muttered.

"What are you talking about?!" Kazuichi growled at her, "Listen I know you wanna be good and help everyone, but you heard him last night right?! He's out of control!" Mizuki looked away.

"…I know…But…Tying him up, is it right? I don't think it can be…Can it?" Mizuki pointed out, "Just because someone was cruel to you…Is it right to be cruel in turn?" Biyuki sighed.

"Listen Mizuki, I know you don't like the idea, but yes. If someone is a jerk to you, you have a right to be a jerk back." Biyuki told her, "You don't need to always meet cruelty with kindness you know…It doesn't always work." Mizuki looked away sadly, holding a fist to her heart and clenching it lightly.

"…If you all think it's right…I doubt I could stop you even if I tried…But I don't want to say it's right…Because I don't think it is…" Mizuki softly told them, turning away slightly.

"…Anyways, where did you two tie him up?" Mahiru questioned, trying to change the subject quickly.

"T…The big hall in the old lodge…" Kazuichi answered.

"Isn't that… where Byakuya was killed?!" Hajime exclaimed.

"He should spend some time seriously reflecting upon what he did at that place…" Nekomaru grumbled.

"I see. So you two think it's better to kill a troublesome friend before he becomes an enemy!" Hiyoko chirped.

"Hiiiii? They killed him?!" Mikan practically screamed.

"What?! We didn't kill him! We just… punched him once and knocked him out…" Kazuichi told them.

"So, how should we handle him from now on? We should hear everyone's opinion." Peko determined.

"Hmmm… It would be worrying if we let him move around freely. We can't tell what mess he'll make next…" Mahiru muttered thoughtfully.

"He's our top candidate for being the traitor, too." Hiyoko agreed.

"So we should just keep him tied up for now, right?" Akane reasoned, mouth full of food.

"In that case… we should wait a while longer and see which way the wind blows." Sonia reasoned.

"We should at least bring him food and water. We don't want him dying of starvation…" Hajime pointed out. Mizuki looked over and nodded.

"That's right…Thank you Hajime. At least someone is thinking of his needs…" Mizuki stated, holding herself slightly as Kazuichi sighed.

"Mizuki, I know you don't like this, but you said you didn't want anyone else to die, right? And Nagito clearly wants more death. So…What solution would you come up with?" Kazuichi tried to reason. Mizuki bit her lip, but offered no better solutions before giving a sigh.

"Other than talking to him…I suppose this is the best way to make absolutely sure he doesn't do anything…But…I don't know, it just feels wrong…" Mizuki sighed.

"I…I know that…" Kazuichi sighed, "But it is the best solution…"

"A fine mess you two've made of this." Mahiru huffed.

"More an achievement than a mess, surely?" Kazuichi hoped.

"Hee Hee… I was so sure it was that lil' dwarf who did something again…" Hiyoko chuckled.

"By 'that lil' dwarf' you wouldn't mean me, by any chance?" Fuyuhiko muttered.

"Wah! Oh yeah, I forgot you were here." Hiyoko recalled, putting a finger to her chin.

"Just as I thought… The real lowlifes here are all of you shitheads." Fuyuhiko almost chuckled, "So this is how you operate. You'll drive any 'friend' into a corner the moment they become a little difficult. Feh. Pretentious crowd justice if ever it was."

"What the hell…? We did nothing wrong!" Kazuichi asserted.

"Are you really sure about that though…? Even you've admitted it doesn't feel right, and if it can't feel right how can it be right?" Mizuki responded.

"Mizuki, calm down…" Biyuki told her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"We have to protect ourselves!" Kazuichi defended.

"Oh? Does the mob of idiots want to say something?" Fuyuhiko taunted.

"It seems there's one more person here we should've tied up." Kazuichi growled.

"Let's see you try, fucker!" Fuyuhiko challenged.

"Y…You can't scare me with your threats! If you didn't have that Kuzuryuu family of yours, you'd be nothing but a stupid midget!" Kazuichi shot back.

"W…What did you say…?!" Fuyuhiko practically snarled. Mizuki frowned and took Biyuki's hand off her shoulder.

"Would you two stop acting like CHILDREN?" Mizuki barked out, glaring at the two of them, Kazuichi shrinking back only slightly but still glaring and Fuyuhiko holding his ground, though not without a hot blush on his cheeks, "What's done is done and we'll deal with it as we have to, but more fighting and more tying people up is not something we need right now!" Fuyuhiko looked like he was about to argue back, but Peko spoke up:

"…She's right. More fighting will get us nowhere fast…" Fuyuhiko scoffed but stepped back.

"Y…You bastards… I'll make sure you regret this later…!" He growled, leaving the breakfast nook, Mizuki sighing.

"Typical… A loser who's all bark and no bite!" Kazuichi grumbled.

"Kazuichi… Let's stop this." Sonia recommended.

"Sigh… nothing but fighting… You make me worry about the future." Mahiru commented.

"The future… Do we even have one…?" Mikan softly worried.

"Hey, don't mutter something like that so seriously! That's way too bleak, don't you think?!" Mahiru scolded.

"I…I'm sorry! I didn't mean it that way!" Mikan whined. Mizuki sighed and looked away, walking towards her seat. Everyone else, not knowing what else to say, returned to their seats, eating an awkward breakfast and everyone leaving one by one. Hajime went to leave but saw Mizuki sitting alone, pushing her cereal around in the bowl. Hajime stopped and walked over.

"…Mizuki, are you alright?" Mizuki looked up and sighed, but gave a soft smile.

"I'll be fine…this was just…a lot for this morning I think." Mizuki muttered. Hajime nodded and there was a bit of silence before he couldn't help but ask.

"Mizuki…Why did you kiss Fuyuhiko?" Mizuki stiffened slightly.

"…Did I not say? I think he's cute, and I went for it."

"…Really? You and him have been butting heads a lot…" Hajime pointed out.

"Yeah, that's true, but I told you, I think deep down he's really good." Mizuki asserted, "He just…Needs someone to push him the right way. And besides…It won't be long until he's back~" The smirk on Mizuki's face was something Hajime hadn't seen yet, the words and look confusing him.

"…Huh?"

"I'm in his blood stream now…He won't be able to resist coming back." Mizuki hummed as she took a bite.

"…He didn't seem too keen on it, Mizuki." Hajime pointed out.

"Of course, no one is at first…And I'll admit, there's a slight chance he might escape it, if he resists coming back for that second one…but if he doesn't, then he's mine, no matter how much he'll try and deny it…" Mizuki muttered, chuckling as she gently pushed the last piece of cereal around her bowl, watching as she pushed it and swirled it, making it follow the path she set out, "It's just too infectious, and when they think they've found the quick cure, they're already too far gone." Hajime watched her cautiously, remembering the nickname that Biyuki had brought up once more, 'Virus', as he thought about saying something, but Mizuki stood up and began packing another plate.

"I'm gonna bring Nagito some food really quick. I'll see you around!" Mizuki hummed happily, going to leave. Hajime sighed, deciding he wouldn't get anything else out of her and going back towards his cottage. It seemed he had some time to himself…might as well try and find someone to talk to…

After going around for a little while hanging out with a person or two, he came across Mizuki's cabin. He stopped and thought about it then went and knocked on her door. It was only a moment before Mizuki answered, giving a big smile when she saw him.

"Hiya Hajime!~" She greeted eagerly, "Whatcha doin' here?~"

"Um…Do you want to hang out?" Hajime offered, giving a smile. Mizuki beamed brightly.

"Yeah!~ Come on in!~" Mizuki chirped, skipping in as Hajime followed. The first thing he noticed was that the place was a MESS. Papers and trash were strewn about everywhere, pencils and pens, books, pillows, blankets, it was a total wreck.

"Um…Mizuki…Isn't this place a little…cluttered?" Hajime pointed out. Mizuki blinked and looked around before blushing.

"Ah, I suppose so…I guess I never really notice it until someone else is around…" Mizuki muttered, starting to pick things up. Hajime came over and started to help, giving a small smile.

"I guess I can understand that…There's a lot of paper around here though, are you working on something?" Hajime wondered, picking up a piece.

"Just some poetry, nothing too epic I'm afraid." Mizuki replied with a small chuckle, rubbing the back of her head, "Actually, I was going to take a break and watch a movie…"

"All by yourself?"

"Well, Bi-kun doesn't really like movies, but she went off to play some games with Chiaki so I've got some time to watch it." Mizuki replied, "Do you want to watch it with me?"

"That depends, what movie is it?"

"It's an American one, Mallrats. It's kind of raunchy, but I love it~ I managed to find a translated version in the library, though I'm pretty sure Monomi didn't intend it to be there." Mizuki chuckled, picking up the video, "Wanna watch with me?" Hajime smiled slightly and nodded, Mizuki smiling as she cleared off her bed so the two could sit and putting in the movie, jumping onto the bed next to Hajime who chuckled at how excited she was. The two spent the next hour and a half or so laughing and gasping at the movie, though there were certain sexual scenes Hajime had to hide his face he was so embarrassed for and Mizuki just teased him. It seemed everything had gone rather well.

"Oh, Mizuki, um…Would you maybe like to have this?" Hajime offered, pulling out a Many Sided Dice set, though he wasn't sure why…She probably would have preferred something more like a book or a pen or a notebo—

"GASP, Oh Hajime this is an awesome set!" She cheered, taking the dice from him and looking it over, "Wow, if you're ever up for playing a roleplaying game or maybe a card game like Magic these will be great for us! Though if we wanted to play we would need to enlist a few more people for the roleplaying game…"

"Oh…I'm glad you like them." Hajime remarked, "I didn't know you were so into roleplaying games."

"Are you kidding? It's wonderful!~ Roleplaying is like writing with multiple partners, characters acting in unpredictable ways and taking a story to new heights!~ It's simply magic!~" Mizuki cooed happily, "Biyuki would probably enjoy playing with us too!~" Hajime nodded, giving a smile.

"I think I'd like that." He agreed. He felt like the two of them had grown a lot closer through all of this…

"Anyways, I'm going to get back to my poetry. I'll see you around?" Mizuki wondered, looking to him and tilting her head.

"Sure. See you around." Hajime went back to his room, sitting down and sighing. It was starting to get a little later, but not quite too late yet. He began to consider who he should talk to next, before the familiar ding dong ding dong rang through the cottage, Monokuma's image fizzling onto the monitor.

"Um, this is an announcement from Hope's Peak Academy's Field Trip Executive Committee…Emergency! Emergency! All of your presence is urgently requested at Jabberwock Park!" Monokuma announced, "Hurry up! I will treat the student who arrives the fastest to my special curry rice tomorrow evening! I said, hurry up!" And with that, he was off the screen.

' **Curry rice, huh… Feels like it's been forever since I last had some…'** Hajime considered then shaking his head and frowning, **'…Wait, who does he think is gonna fall for that?! I don't know what he's up to this time, but…'**

"…..But, I can't just not show up." Hajime muttered to himself, standing and making his way to Jabberwock Park.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi guys! I'm so thankful for the reviews I've gotten so far, and I'm really hoping to see more soon! I'm glad so many people are enjoying the story and I can't wait to see what everyone thinks of this chapter! I love you guys, and thank you all so much! Also, I do not own Dangan Ronpa or any of the characters except my OC's in anyway. Thank you, and enjoy!**

 **Chapter** **6**

By the time Hajime got to the park, it seemed everyone else had already gotten there, and Akane was cheering and jumping around, oddly excited for the situation.

"Woo! I got here first! That curry rice is all mine!" She cheered happily.

' **So someone did fall for it.'** Hajime sighed internally.

"I am most curious to see what type of curry rice it's going to be!" Sonia agreed with a small smile.

' **You fell for it too?!'**

"Anyone know the scientific term for how you suddenly start feeling hungry when you hear the words 'curry rice'?!" Ibuki questioned.

"Heh, there isn't really a scientific term for it Ibuki…Least not specifically for curry rice." Mizuki chuckled slightly.

"Why are you morons getting so excited over this…? You're giving me a headache." Fuyuhiko huffed, pushing past them towards the statue, Biyuki and Mahiru rolling their eyes at him as he did, "Oi, where are you, Monokuma?! Come out, right now!"

"Sure, sure! Sorry to have kept you waiting! It's a miracle you lasted that long!" Monokuma chuckled as he appeared out of nowhere.

"Hey, Monokuma! I was the first one here! I claim that curry for myself!" Akane asserted.

"Calm down, calm down. You will be treated to Monokuma's special Monokuma Curry tomorrow evening, as promised." Monokuma assured her.

"M…Monokuma Curry…?" Hajime stuttered out.

"It's a super-delicious curry made with unidentified meat, wilting vegetables and a mysterious rice brand!" Monokuma explained.

"'Delicious' isn't exactly the first word that ingredient list calls to mind…" Mahiru pointed out.

"It's gonna be fine! Making curry taste bad requires some serious skill!" Ibuki told Mahiru.

"There is wisdom in your words… but we are wasting our time." Gundham stated, crossing his arms, "Monokuma. You will explain why you have called us here. But know this… I am the man who would be king. If you bore me…The Four Dark Gods shall dine on bear tonight!" Biyuki sighed wistfully.

"Gundham-kun is so assertive!~" She hummed happily, Mizuki raising a brow at her.

"Oh? Have you still not noticed? The reason I brought you here… should be obvious if you look around the park." Monokuma chuckled.

"…Eh?" Hajime wondered. He looked around, and did very quickly notice something out of place.

' **What's… this thing?'** He wondered, looking over the box with a screen by the timer, as well as the giant TV screen sitting beside it.

"Ah! That's an arcade cabinet, isn't it?" Chiaki determined, running to it. Biyuki ran over as well, smiling from ear to ear as she looked it over.

"Yeah, looks like it's in great shape too!" Biyuki commented.

"Upupu… That's absolutely correct! That is to say, I would like to start the period of recreational time you bastards have been waiting for!" Monokuma hummed happily.

"Don't tell me… you're going to make us play a video game…?" Hajime guessed.

"Hey, what's on it?! What games are on it?!" Chiaki demanded, practically bouncing.

"I don't think there's any shooter games unfortunately…usually those would come with an attached gun…" Biyuki lamented.

"Maybe it has Pac-man!~ I love Pac-man!~" Mizuki chirped eagerly.

' **I can't believe those three are buying this…'** Hajime internally groaned for the three.

"There's just one game installed, but… it's a jewel of a game. I mean, it's a game I made on my very own!" Monokuma informed them.

"…Huh? You made a game?" Hajime questioned with a raised brow.

"It's probably gonna suck then…Bad luck." Biyuki muttered.

"I was really hoping for Pac-man…" Mizuki agreed with a sigh, kicking the dirt.

"Please excuse us for not looking forward to it." Sonia added.

"No, no, no. This is far better than some silly amateur indie game…I made a sequel to a certain legendary game! It's been waiting for one for so long!" Monokuma assured.

"A sequel to a what?" Hajime hesitantly asked.

"Let me announce it formally!" Monokuma declared, turning the machine on as the title screen flashed to life, showing on both the cabinet and the large screen next to it, "Ta-daaah! Its name is, 'Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery'!"

"Really? That sounds soooo lame! I think games with, like, a professor who solves puzzles or where you collect cute monsters are much better!" Hiyoko commented.

"Don't even joke about that, stupid! What're we gonna do if we start getting pressure from the publisher?!" Monokuma huffed.

"Twilight Syndrome… An adventure game series, first published in 1996." Chiaki started, "Its story revolves around a group of high school girls investigating the veracity of various urban legends…It's also known for its unique vertical-scrolling stages, in which the characters move freely."

"Hmm…Well that sounds actually kinda interesting…It could have some interesting levels." Mizuki agreed, "Though I'm so terrible at these kind of games that I doubt I'd get far…"

"Eh, I dunno, murder mystery games can't usually hold my attention for too long…" Biyuki muttered, looking at the cabinet, "I'd rather read something like that than play it…"

"Video games are for weaklings! I have no interest in them! Besides… how would I even know about an ancient game from generations ago?!" Nekomaru asserted. Biyuki's eye twitched.

"WEAKLINGS?!" She growled, Mizuki sighing and pulling out a banana Popsicle.

"Take this doll, I brought it in case you needed to calm down." Mizuki recommended. Biyuki huffed but took it anyways, munching on the Popsicle as she grumbled.

"Aren't adventure games boring? They're a pain in the butt!" Hiyoko commented.

"Your negativity about adventure games is quite understandable, you know…I mean, with the budget we get, there's not much we can do!" Monokuma told her.

"Sigh… I was a fan of that series. Now I feel it's gotten… sullied." Chiaki stated.

"Your face should be sullied! Sullied by tears of joy! I am shining a new light on this forgotten title!" Monokuma asserted, getting angry.

"So what's the meaning of this game of yours?" Hajime wondered.

"…Hm?"

"There's no way you just want us to enjoy a game."

"Upupupu… Very perceptive." Monokuma praised, "That's right! This game is your next motive! A motive to make you bastards kill one of your classmates! I mean, unless someone does something soon, I'm going to get very bored!"

"This game is a… motive?" Chiaki questioned.

"You see, this game's theme is 'the missing link'. Y'know, that old mystery trope? Hidden connections and such." Monokuma hummed, "You know about those, right Mizuki? You've written enough trash mystery novels after all…"

"WHA-?! TRASH?!" Mizuki exclaimed, this time Biyuki needing to hold her back as Mizuki screamed at Monokuma about the subtle intricacies of her mystery novels and how he wouldn't know a good mystery if he was stuffed with Sherlock Holmes pages.

"W…What do you mean by that?" Mikan questioned.

"If you're curious… just play the game!" Monokuma recommended.

"…O…Okay." Mikan agreed.

"No, you can't! We refuse! This has got to be a trap!" Mahiru stated.

"If this game's a motive, then all we gotta do to win is not play!" Kazuichi told them.

"GAHAHAHA! That's right! That's some superb logic you have there!" Nekomaru commended.

"I see… so that is your plan." Monokuma hummed, "But, are you sure it's going to work? Having a motive means fortifying one's resolve. A human who has found their resolve, and a human who hasn't…I don't have to tell you who's the strong one and who's the weak one, do I?"

"…W…What do you mean?" Mahiru questioned.

"Don't listen to him, he's just trying to get our goat!" Mizuki urged, doing her best to just ignore Monokuma.

"Let me give you an example. Suppose someone sneakily plays this game, and decides to go and kill someone else. Getting ahead of the pack can win you the battle… and in this case can save your life!" Monokuma recommended.

"W…What the hell?!" Kazuichi exclaimed.

"You bastards are all each other's enemies, aren't you? Are you sure you want to give your enemy an advantage? I suggest you give this proper consideration, and if you still decide to ignore this game… well, do as you please." Monokuma shrugged, giving a wicked smirk, "See ya later!" And with that, he disappeared.

"What the hell was that…?!" Hajime questioned aloud.

"Oi… what're we gonna do?" Kazuichi wondered, looking around to everyone for answers.

"How should I know…? This is all just so messed up…" Mahiru commented.

"In any case, it is clearly dangerous to thoughtlessly play this game. That much is unmistakable." Peko determined.

"T…That's right… We should probably wait a little while and see if something happens." Sonia agreed.

"But… wouldn't it be really bad if someone really does decide to sneakily play the game while we're 'waiting'?" Hiyoko pointed out, "That 'someone' is going to get a motive. They'll become a hunter and the rest of us will be nothing but helpless prey."

"H…How can you think that way…?!" Hajime wondered incredulously.

"Because she's right." Biyuki replied, crossing her arms, "If we don't know why someone would kill someone, how can we be prepared…? If we had known what Teruteru had known, we could have prevented him, and Nagito, from doing anything…Couldn't we have? But without knowing…There was no way to prevent it."

"Heh… dying means you lost. And so, if you want to win the only way is to kill. Don't worry… I'll never gonna end up as pitiful as Byakuya and Teruteru did." Fuyuhiko muttered, turning to leave.

"Stop right there Fuyuhiko." Mizuki determined. Fuyuhiko scoffed and looked back, a slight flush on his cheeks.

"Why should I listen to YOU?" He wondered.

"Because, we need to decide what to do together…If we all keep separating and holding each other at arm's length, how are we supposed to do anything?" Mizuki pointed out.

"What else is there to decide? We should obviously just not play, right?" Mahiru stated, huffing at Mizuki.

"…I wish it were that simple…But we've seen that ignoring something like this doesn't help, right? We ignored the taunt of memories from Monokuma, and two people paid dear prices…I think we either should play all together…or destroy it." Mizuki suggested.

"D-Destroy it?!" Ibuki yelled.

"Do you really think Monokuma would let us get away with that?" Peko questioned, crossing her arms.

"…Maybe not…Maybe he'd put in another one. I don't know. But just leaving it here doesn't seem right does it? Where anyone could come play it? If we're saying we don't want to have anyone play, we should at least TRY preventative measures…" Mizuki replied.

"And if Monokuma gets upset and decides to kill us all over it?" Mahiru questioned, taking an angry step forward towards Mizuki, "Did you think of that?!"

"Hey, don't get so aggressive over it!" Biyuki demanded, stepping between the two and taking a step forward, making Mahiru step back, "She's trying to help!"

"Yeah, sure. Trying doesn't get us off this fucking island alive, does it?" Fuyuhiko spat, turning and leaving in a huff, Mizuki reaching out and sighing as he left, holding herself by the elbows.

"…But…There is a little bit of sense in playing, isn't there…?" Mikan stuttered out.

"What the hell are you saying? Do you want to kill someone yourself?!" Akane accused.

"I don't…! I meant that if we don't know what the motive is, we can't protect ourselves!" Mikan clarified.

"There's… something to that, but…" Mahiru trailed off.

"…That has nothing to do with it." Chiaki finally spoke up.

"…Huh?" Hajime wondered.

"The motive isn't important. Whether we play the game or not, we can't have any more mutual killing. I… will never stand for any more mutual killing." Chiaki decided. Before anyone could say another word, the bell went off, and Monokuma's announcement could be heard all around them.

"Um, this is an announcement from Hope's Peak Academy's Field Trip Executive Committee…It is now 10pm. Please rest peacefully, along with the soothing sound of the waves. Well then, pleasant dreams. Goodnight…" They were all quiet for a moment, everyone looking at one another with suspicion and tension.

"It's gotten late… It would be best if we disperse for the night." Nekomaru suggested.

"I need to think about it on my own for a while… I've no clue what's the right thing to do anymore…" Mahiru muttered, turning to go, "But, I'm not going to kill anyone, even if I play the game. I mean, I'll never…"

"M…Me too…! I'd never be able to…!" Mikan added, neither able to finish the thought.

"…Well, let's go. See y'all tomorrow…" Kazuichi finished, everyone turning to leave, lost in thought about what the best decision could possibly be. Hajime looked to Chiaki, considering the out of character firmness she had exhibited talking about the mutual killing. Hajime shook it off and went home, sitting on his bed.

' **A motive… to make us kill someone…Should we just ignore it…? Should we play that dangerous game so we can protect ourselves…?'** Hajime considered, **'…How the hell can I even decide?'** He let his eyes slide closed, letting sleep overtake him once more.

Hajime was woken the next morning once more by the now familiar ding dong ding dong of the bell as Monokuma's image fizzed onto the monitor once more.

"Um, this is an announcement from Hope's Peak Academy's Field Trip Executive Committee…Good morning students! It's another perfect tropical day! Let's enjoy it for all it's worth!" He announced before the screen went dark once more, Hajime sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"I guess I should go to the restaurant…" He muttered to himself, getting up and going to leave as had begun to become a routine, and immediately ran into—

"Hm?" Fuyuhiko questioned, looking up as they crossed paths.

"Fuyuhiko…" Hajime breathed out.

"Feh… Just my luck. First thing I get to see in the morning is your ugly mug." Fuyuhiko grumbled, "Let's skip the chit-chat. I don't want to talk to you. I happen to be in a bad mood."

"You don't seem to be heading to the restaurant… Where are you going?" Hajime questioned.

"Didn't I just say I don't want to talk to you…? I'm on my way back to my cottage. Leave me alone." Fuyuhiko replied, trying to move past him again only to be stopped by Hajime once more.

"On your way back…? Back from where?" Hajime questioned.

"Is some part of this not getting through to you?!" Fuyuhiko growled. Hajime looked at him seriously.

"…You didn't go play that game, did you?"

"W…What the…?"

"Just as I thought… So that thing you're holding…" Hajime directed his gaze to the manila envelope in Fuyuhiko's hand, "What's this envelope? Is there something inside?"

"S…Shut up! What gives you the right to interrogate me?!" Fuyuhiko demanded, hiding the envelope.

"I…I'm not interrogating anyone…! It's just…"

"What, you find me disagreeable? It bothers you I left you idiots behind and acted on my own?" Fuyuhiko accused, "Well, what are you going to do about that?! You gonna give me 'justice', like you did Nagito?!"

"I said I don't…"

"Don't come anywhere near me again! If you do, I swear I'll kill you then and there!" Fuyuhiko threatened before pushing him aside and storming off.

"…" Hajime was simply speechless, turning towards the restaurant but looking back towards Fuyuhiko once more over his shoulder first.

' **If things keep going this way… he might actually end up being dangerous.'** Hajime thought to himself, **'I should probably report to the rest… while somehow keeping them at bay…I wonder…If Mizuki would still say he has good in him after hearing this…'** He kept walking, but in the lobby noticed Chiaki, Biyuki, and Mikan together as Mizuki watched smiling nearby. Mikan saw him and excitedly called to him, running over.

"Hajimeeeeeee! Listen, listen, listen!" She cried excitedly.

"W…What is it?" Hajime wondered, startled.

"Ch-Chiaki and B-Biyuki taught me how to play video games…! They were so kind, so courteous…! And then… and then… they even let me play a match with them…!~" Mikan chirped excitedly, "Uyu… I'm so very very happy I was able to play with friends…Heh heh heh heh… Thank you kindly, Chiaki-san, Biyuki-san."

"You don't have to thank me. I had fun too." Chiaki assured her.

"Yeah, me too. You're better than Mizuki after all~" Biyuki hummed, smirking teasingly at her friend.

"Bi-kun! Don't be so mean! I-I'm just not good at those types of games…" Mizuki whimpered, pouting.

"What kinds are you good at?~ Last time we played a fighting game you launched yourself off the stage~ And when I had you take over for me in GTA? You flew that plane upside down into a mountain within 10 seconds!~" Biyuki laughed, unable to contain it as Mizuki flushed.

"…I-I don't have to stand here and take this!" Mizuki huffed, "I'll be upstairs!" She stomped upstairs to the restaurant as Biyuki chuckled.

"She'll forgive me soon enough." Biyuki stated, smiling to herself.

"How about… another round?" Chiaki suggested.

"Sounds great!" Biyuki agreed.

"O…Okay! I am at your service!" Mikan stated, hurrying over and playing, Hajime walking over to watch for a moment, Chiaki sparing a moment to talk to him as they played.

"Mikan said she'd never played a video game until today. That's like wasting 90 percent of your life, isn't it?" Chiaki mentioned, Hajime chuckling slightly at the thought.

"I'm just happy someone's playing that I can beat…I like the challenge that comes from playing Chiaki, but they don't call her the Ultimate Gamer just for show!" Biyuki told Hajime as she kept playing, "I have a new goal now! Beat Chiaki at at least one game!"

"Well, good luck with that…" Hajime chuckled slightly before heading up to the restaurant.

"Ah, Good morning Hajime…Good timing. I've been waiting a while, but no one's come up except Mizuki, and I don't want to send her alone…" Mahiru told him, looking away, Hajime noticing as Mizuki was getting something together.

"Send her where alone?" Hajime inquired.

"You see, I was just about to go… deliver some food, but…" Mahiru muttered.

"Food…? Oh! Is that for Nagito?!" Hajime guessed.

"Well, it's like we said… If we just leave him there, he'll die of starvation…" Mahiru sighed, "And… how long are we gonna keep this up, anyway?"

"Yeah… It's not like we can keep him there forever…" Hajime agreed.

"Or at least we shouldn't." Mizuki commented from the background.

"…That's what I thought until a few minutes ago. Now… Now I think I'd be okay with forever." Mahiru sighed.

"…Hm? What do you mean?" Hajime wondered.

"Well, I went to visit him just now. I thought I'd be kind and bring him breakfast…" Mahiru told him, "And then… ugh… can you believe this?! It makes me sick…He said he didn't like the food I brought and that I should come back with toast. Does he even understand the situation he's in?!"

"Wow… that's… pretty bad." Hajime stated.

"I don't know, he has a right to enjoy his breakfast, doesn't he?" Mizuki mentioned, "I still think tying him up like this is a bit extreme…"

"That's why I can't send her alone…It's too likely she'll be convinced into doing something for him, maybe even untying him." Mahiru stated, "But I don't want to deal with him again myself…and there's something else I want to do…Could you go with her?"

"…Something else?" Hajime wondered.

"Anyway, thanks! I owe you one." Mahiru told him, running off before he had a chance to answer, Hajime sighing.

"I guess there's no choice now…" He muttered.

"You don't have to come with me Hajime, I'll be fine on my own." Mizuki assured him, "Even if I don't think it's right you all are keeping him tied up, I don't want to start any more fighting…and can you believe the level of faith she has in me? Thinking he's going to brainwash me or something? Jeez, I'm nice, not dumb…"

"…I think I should still come, just in case." Hajime replied, "After all, what if he got out with his luck and tried to hurt you or something?" Hajime didn't really think that would happen honestly, but she was obviously not happy with the idea of him going to protect her from herself, so different methods needed to be put in place.

"…I don't think that's likely…But I suppose with what happened I can't deny that might happen either…Alright, let's get going though!~ Don't wanna make him wait too long!" Mizuki hummed as she left to go give the food to Nagito. It seemed that the girls had just finished their round, Biyuki noticing Mizuki with the tray as she walked through.

"Where are you taking that Mizu-kun?" Biyuki wondered. Mizuki froze, obviously not wanting to tell her but relenting and mumbling:

"To Nagito so he can eat…"

"Ooh!~ You're taking it to Nagito-kun?~ Can I come?~ Please?!~" Biyuki practically begged, sticking out a pouty lip. Mizuki gave her a weird look.

"…You've been oddly affectionate about Nagito ever since the trial Biyuki…" Mizuki pointed out, "I'm not sure if-"

"What, not sure if you can trust me?" Biyuki interrupted, crossing her arms.

"No, it's not that, I-"

"No, I get it, you think that just because I admire Nagito-kun a little now that I would betray my closest friend to help him, you just have no faith in my loyalty, even after all I've done for you."

"Wha-?! Bi-kun I didn't say that at all!"

"But you meant it, and that hurts more…"

"Wha-?! I-?! …This isn't gonna end unless I let you come, is it?" Mizuki reasoned with a sigh, suddenly realizing where her friend was headed with this.

"…Maybe."

"Fine, you can come." Mizuki relented with a sigh, continuing on the path as Biyuki cheered, practically skipping after her. Hajime gave a sigh of his own.

If that was how easily Mizuki broke under pressure, than Mahiru was right to send him…It wasn't long until they came across the old lodge, Kazuichi standing in the way.

"Biyuki? I already told you earlier, I'm not letting you in here to see Nagito!" Kazuichi huffed at her. Biyuki frowned, then stepped forward and put on a smile.

"First of all, you don't get to call me 'Biyuki', remember?~ It's Yanii to you~ I'm pretty sure we cleared that up during the trial where you were trying very hard to convict me of murder, right?~" Biyuki hummed in a sing-song like voice, "All those nasty assumptions…If Mizuki hadn't worked so hard to shut your stupid mouth we'd all be dead now y'know!~ And secondly, you said I couldn't come in alone, which I was already upset enough with, but now I'm not alone!~" Hajime could tell Biyuki was holding herself back very hard from pulling her knife out of her boot. Kazuichi gulped and looked over to Mizuki and Hajime.

"O-Oh, hey guys…what's with the tray?" Kazuichi questioned, trying to change the subject.

"Well you idiot I did just say we were trying to go inside didn't I?~" Biyuki chirped once more, "So obviously we're trying to bring food to poor Nagito-kun, since you tied him up and aren't doing anything so he doesn't starve~"

"H-Hey! Don't say it like that!" Kazuichi defended.

"What, you mean like it is? Oh boo-hoo, I'm pointing out your lack of responsibility." Biyuki huffed, "You should thank us for doing what you should be doing yourself!"

'Biyuki REALLY doesn't like Kazuichi, does she…?" Hajime considered as she watched the back and forth between them.

"Sorry, sorry… Thanks for taking care of him for us!" Kazuichi reluctantly apologized and thanked, looking to Biyuki annoyed as Hajime leaned in and whispered:

"How about taking over for me and walking in with them?"

"Nah… Nah, that's definitely out of the question." Kazuichi laughed slightly, already walking away, "S…See ya later, Hajime!" Hajime frowned after him as the two walked inside, sighing as he followed them in before they were stopped by Monomi.

"You can't! The old lodge is under construction, and entry is forbidden!" She scolded.

"If entry is forbidden, why is Nagito inside?" Mizuki questioned, tilting her head.

"Howawa! You three know about that?!" Monomi exclaimed, "B…But…Nekomaru and Kazuichi said their dear teacher Monomi was the only one they could trust…And…Nagito certainly needs to do some soul-searching…"

'… **How did Mahiru get through then?'** Hajime thought to himself, **'And what about when Mizuki would have come through here to give him food yesterday?'**

"We came here to bring him breakfast. If he dies of starvation, wouldn't someone be accused of murder?" Biyuki pointed out, giving her most innocent face.

"S…Starvation?! Howawawawa!" Monomi worried.

"…May we go inside?" Hajime requested.

"O…Of course! Tell him to chew his food properly, so he doesn't choke up!" Monomi instructed before leaving. They sighed and began to walk forward, Biyuki eagerly skipping and opening up the door to reveal the tied up Nagito in the main hall, smiling brightly, as he looked up.

"…Hajime? Yanii?" Nagito listed off, tilting his head, "And Mizuki! It's so good to see you again! Ah. You three came all the way here just to bring someone like me some food?" Nagito practically sniffled with happiness, "That makes me so happy! I'm sorry I can't be a better host, but as you can see, I'm a little… tied up at the moment. In any case, make yourself at home!" Mizuki rolled her eyes lightly, coming over with the food as Biyuki hummed and skipped over, sitting next to him with a bright smile, Hajime just leaning against a table as he watched.

"Oh? What's wrong Hajime? Your face just tensed up all of a sudden…" Nagito worried. Hajime frowned and looked away.

"I didn't come here to talk to you. I'm just escorting them." Hajime shot back.

"Here. Eat." Mizuki told him as she lifted the food towards his face, Nagito blushing and looking away.

"Oh, um, c-could Hajime feed me?" Nagito requested.

"W…Why the hell would I do that?!" Hajime shouted.

"Well…Um…It's kind of embarrassing to ask a girl to feed me…I stood for it yesterday when Mizuki was so kind to bring me some food, but…" Nagito trailed off.

"Awww…I was hoping to help feed Nagito-kun." Biyuki sighed slightly.

"W-Wha?!" Mizuki and Hajime exclaimed at the same time.

"By the way… what's up with Mahiru? She said she had something important to do and disappeared somewhere, didn't she…?" Nagito suggested.

"…Huh? How come you know that?" Hajime questioned.

"Speaking of, I heard about… 'Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery', was it? I'm not sure how I feel about that… I liked that game, you know." Nagito commented.

"D…Don't change the subject! I asked you…"

"…But, nevertheless, I must say I am a little disappointed…You guys aren't facing the threat in front of you properly. That's not how Ultimates should behave." Nagito lamented, "Do you still intend not to play that game? Do you think Monokuma will just leave you alone if you don't?"

"N…No… That is…"

"You should take a stand and face the danger straight on… You are the Hope that can face any Despair, after all." Nagito recommended. All three were silent, Biyuki gauging the other two's responses as Mizuki looked away, Hajime knowing that she had already thought something similar about the game. She'd said as much yesterday, that ignoring it wasn't right…

"I'm not going to let you fool me anymore. Goodbye." Hajime stated, getting up and leaving.

"W…Wait, Hajime? My food… weren't you going to feed me? Hey, Hajime! C'mon!" Nagito plead as Hajime left, unconcerned with his pleas as he left the hall then the building all together.

' **Shit… All it took was a few minutes with him to ruin my mood…!'** Hajime thought angrily, **'…But still… I am curious. Can I really just ignore that game? I mean, I'm sure some of the others…'** Hajime shook his head, clearing his thoughts, **'No… I can't let that worry me.'**

"Hajime?" He heard, looking to see Mizuki coming down the steps.

"Mizuki? Weren't you going to feed Nagito?" Hajime questioned.

"…I left Biyuki to do it…I don't think she'll let him loose…Honestly, I think she enjoys having him captive…Which is slightly disturbing but I'm going to look past it for now." Mizuki chuckled nervously, noticing the look on Hajime's face, "Are you going to be okay?"

"…Yeah…I'll be fine, I'm sure." He stated with a sigh.

"…If you're sure…So you know, it's okay to feel that way…He made my blood boil a little too to be honest…" Mizuki told him, patting his back, "Just don't let it get to you, okay?" She recommended, Hajime giving a nod.

"Sure…I'll go find something to do." Hajime told her, going off to find someone to talk to that could possibly help calm him down. Eventually, he ran into Peko, deciding to spend some time with her.

"I was going to search the island one more time to make sure we didn't miss anything, but I don't mind if you tag along." Peko told him, the two spending a good portion of time with her exploring the island. Afterwards, he gave her an antique doll he'd found.

"I…Is that for me?!" Peko exclaimed, "Hajime… You…! I shall never forget this kindness!" then the two went oddly silent, Hajime searching for something to get the conversation going.

"…So… you like kendo, Peko?"

"I do."

"…"

' **T…That's all she has to say?!'** Hajime thought as he tried to find another topic.

"Um… so does your family own a dojo or something?"

"…In a manner of speaking."

"I…In a manner of speaking?"

"Do you find that objectionable?" Peko wondered, raising a brow.

"N…No, I don't really mind… I was just asking." Hajime assured, noticing he kept getting that solemn stare, trying to tread as carefully as he could to not upset her.

"…Oh, right! So, what's your ranking, Peko?"

"…Are you talking about my Kendo ranking?" Peko wondered, Hajime nodding in reply, "I… don't have one."

"Huh?"

"Most practitioners of Kendo do indeed go up in rank in accordance with the number of years they've been training.…But I don't need one." Peko clarified.

"Why not? Isn't that the point? Y'know, going up in rank?" Hajime questioned.

"That is not the point of kendo for me. I was set on a different goal from the very beginning. I protect those that should be protected, and cut those that should be cut. That is the true way of the sword. The one I let guide me." Peko told him sincerely, "It is the very reason I exist. Rankings governed by rules… mean nothing to me."

' **I see… So Peko Pekoyama isn't just your regular girl who does Kendo. She really is an 'Ultimate Swordswoman'…'** Hajime thought to himself, **'And I had to go and ask her about her ranking… That was really stupid of me.'**

"I don't really know much about Kendo…But I can say with confidence that was very cool. You're like a noble warrior or something." Hajime tried to recover.

"V…'Very cool'…? You do say such strange things…!" Peko stuttered out, obviously embarrassed, "T…That's the first time someone has said something like that…Um… T…Thank y…Forget it."

' **That was… REALLY awkward. Is she embarrassed?'** Hajime tried to reason.

"…But… I did lose some things, having chosen that road." Peko admitted, "I have lost… some irreplaceable things. Warm things."

"You lost… warm things?"

"…That fluffy fluffy feeling."

"Fluffy… fluffy?"

"That warm, fluffy fluffy fur…The kitties that came to play at the dojo, the puppy our neighbors had when I was a kid… even the sparrow I tried to raise…" Peko remembered, looking off into the distance, "The animals all sense the ferocity inside me and run away. I just want to… touch that soft fur, those soft wings… Forever."

"I…I see… Yeah, that must be tough…" Hajime replied with a nod, shocked that she'd been talking about animals, then getting an idea, "Hey, why don't you talk to Gundham and ask to touch his hamsters? I think he'd happily help you with your problem. He probably knows ways to calm them down so they don't run away." Peko looked up with wide eyes, then considered it.

"I see… That does make sense." Peko agreed, "Besides, those hamsters are called the Four Dark Gods of Destruction…With a name like that, they probably will not be afraid of me." Peko smiled, her eyes suddenly lighting up with a joy that seemed rather terrifying, "I shall go and find Gundham. NOW."

' **Her… her eyes…! Those poor hamsters… Maybe I shouldn't have told her that…'** Hajime worried.

"Hajime. I thank you for your advice. Let's… talk some more, when we get the chance. Farewell." And with that last word Peko took off at top speed out of the room. She must have really wanted to pet some fluffy fur…With that, Hajime decided to leave himself, not long after running into Mizuki and Biyuki, both together again. Noticing he had some time, he decided to see what they were up to.

"Oh, hey Hajime!~" Mizuki greeted eagerly, Biyuki giving a small nod.

"Hello." She greeted.

"We were just about to go and marathon this cartoon series! Do you want to join us?" Mizuki offered with a grin. Hajime considered it and gave a nod.

"Sure, sounds like fun." He agreed, Mizuki squealing slightly as she took his hand, dragging him back to her cottage as Biyuki followed with a small chuckle. They spent the next few hours watching the show.

"…Ugh, the way they can't figure out that the person they're looking for is RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM just kills me! Chat and Ladybug deserve to be together!" Mizuki whined. Biyuki chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah, you've written enough fanfics about them to fill the whole internet up by now haven't you?~" Biyuki teased. Mizuki pouted.

"It's true love! And until I get a canon reveal between the two I won't stop imagining the beautiful moment when the two stop being COMPLETE AND UTTER IDIOTS!" Mizuki yelled, throwing a pillow at the screen as Biyuki laughed loudly.

"Same Mizuki, you never change…" She commented. Hajime watched the scene, giving a small smile.

"Oh, um…Would you two maybe like these…?" He wondered, handing Biyuki a Dip Pen and Mizuki a Slap Bracelet.

"Wow, thanks Hajime! These pens are really good for outlining!" Biyuki grinned as she looked her new tool over eagerly.

"Woohoo! Slap bracelets! These are great!~" Mizuki cheered, repeatedly slapping it against her wrist as she winced slightly with some of the harder slaps, Biyuki rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

"Yup, never changes…" She chuckled.

"You two have known each other for a long time, haven't you?" Hajime commented. Biyuki nodded.

"Since Seventh Grade." Biyuki replied. Mizuki chuckled slightly.

"Though I don't know if you'd call that a long time…It's only about two years after all…" Mizuki chuckled.

"O-Only two years?!" Hajime exclaimed, Mizuki tilting her head.

"Is that surprising?"

"W-Well yeah! The way you two act…I was expecting you to have known one another since birth!" Mizuki couldn't help but laugh.

"I guess we do give off that impression, don't we…?" Mizuki admitted, "It's just that…Me and Bi-kun complete each other like that. Ever since the first time we met, it's just been like we're sisters, right Bi-kun?" Mizuki looked to her and Biyuki gave a soft smile, nodding.

"Yeah…Mizuki means a lot to me." Biyuki admitted, ruffling Mizuki's hair, "After all, who else is as enjoyable to watch fail at video games?~"

"Bi-kuuuuuuuun!" Mizuki whined.

' **Only two years…? It's hard to believe…But I doubt they'd lie about something like that…'** Hajime thought to himself as the two messed around and teased one another back and forth.

"Anyways, I should probably get going…" Hajime told them, standing up, "I should really clean up my room before crashing tonight…"

"Alright then, it was great spending time with you Hajime!" Mizuki replied as she smiled brightly.

"See you around." Biyuki added, Hajime nodding as he turned to leave, going back to his cottage. By the time he had finished cleaning up, the familiar ringing of the bell sounded, Hajime looking up to see the screen fizzle to life with Monokuma.

"Um, this is an announcement from Hope's Peak Academy's Field Trip Executive Committee…It is now 10pm. Please rest peacefully, along with the soothing sound of the waves. Well then, pleasant dreams. Goodnight…" Monokuma announced before the screen went blank. Hajime considered going to bed, but the thought of the game kept gnawing at the back of his mind…

' **Dammit… I can't help it. I'm too curious…!'** Hajime thought to himself as he got up to leave **, 'It's not like Nagito got to me, but I can't just leave that game alone…'Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery'…I think I'll… go check it out, just a little bit. Just to see what it's like…'** And with that, Hajime left his cottage. The second he stepped outside, Chiaki turned and saw him, walking over quizzically.

"Huh? Where are you going at this time? Monokuma already made his announcement…" Chiaki muttered confused.

"No, I just… Wait, what are you doing out here?" Hajime countered.

"I am on my way back to my cottage. But, what about you? You were just… what?" Chiaki questioned.

"Um… You see…" Hajime started, "I was just… feeling a little hungry, so I thought I'd go grab some dinner at the restaurant…"

"…Oh, I see."

"So, um… I'll be going now. See you tomorrow." Hajime turned to leave, freezing in place when he heard Chiaki's voice once more.

"Hajime."

"Huh?"

"…Good night. See you tomorrow." Chiaki told him, turning and walking back to her cottage.

' **Somehow… I have a feeling she saw right through me…'** Hajime thought to himself. He was starting to have second thoughts about the game, so he decided to take a quick walk around first before absolutely deciding. He saw Kazuichi out and about and walked over to him as he heard Kazuichi laughing to himself a little.

"Heh heh heh…"

"Why are you laughing like that? It's a little creepy…" Hajime commented, Kazuichi turning around and giving him a huge smile.

"I can't help it! I just heard the most amazing thing!" Kazuichi told him, then stopping to look around, "Oops… Can't talk details yet… But I'll tell you later!" Kazuichi smiled as he started to walk away, "Well, I'm off to bed! See 'ya tomorrow!"

"…'The most amazing thing'? What's that all about?" Hajime thought aloud before shaking his head and continuing on his walk. It wasn't long after that he ran into Nekomaru.

"Hajime… What are you doing out at this time?" Nekomaru questioned.

"U…Um… I just felt like coming out to watch the stars, so I'm taking a little walk." Hajime explained.

"Ku. I see! Nothing good has happened since we came here, but the nature certainly is exquisite…" Nekomaru agreed, "But try not to stay up too late. Lack of sleep can ruin your day!"

"Sure, I'll try not to." Hajime assured him, turning as he immediately ran into Peko.

"Hajime. You're here just on time. There is something I want to ask you." Peko immediately informed him.

"Ask me? What is it?" Hajime wondered, taking a step back in shock.

"Well, not you specifically. I just want the opinion of a regular person." Peko clarified. Nekomaru, hearing Peko, walked the short distance over to the two of them.

"Mu. Is this to do with what we talked about earlier?" Nekomaru wondered, Peko taking a small nod.

' **What could Peko have talked about with Nekomaru…?'** Hajime puzzled.

"The thing I want to ask is…Nekomaru and I, do we look like we're… 'cosplaying' fighting game characters?" Peko inquired.

"…Huh? Cosplaying?" Hajime wondered, eyebrows creasing.

"I hear that often when I walk about town…I hear them whisper, 'He looks just like that fighter… He must be that judo-master from that game…'" Nekomaru sighed, "I DON'T GET IT! I LOOK LIKE JUST LIKE A REGULAR COACH, DON'T I?!"

"I had similar things happen to me." Peko agreed, "One time, I was chased by a group of strange men carrying cameras… That was troubling."

"So… how did you get rid of them?" Hajime asked.

"I couldn't understand a thing they were saying, so I had no choice but to take some… violent measures." Peko answered.

'… **I have a feeling I shouldn't ask for any more details.'** Hajime thought to himself.

"But, Peko… We shouldn't be asking Hajime about this." Nekomaru asserted, "It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. We are who we are!"

"You're… right. I apologize, Hajime. Please forget all about it." Peko apologized, then thinking of something stopped and looked at him suspiciously, "…Ah, by the way, what are you doing here? Why are you out this late at night?"

"Um… I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd go out for a walk…" Hajime told her, trying to keep as close to what he told Nekomaru as he could remember with the other standing right there.

"I see. Well, be careful." Peko warned, "I do not believe anything dangerous is going to happen… But, it's best to be careful, just in case." Hajime nodded, walking once more. Honestly so many of them were out late at night he was wondering what usually happened after he went to bed! Were there always so many of them about…? He decided to go inside the hotel for a little bit, and that's when he laid eyes on Gundham, walking over to him curiously.

"Heh… What brings you before me, human?" Gundham asked, but gave him no time to answer, "Hmph. No matter. I do not have the time to spare you… Instead, I will tell you one interesting story." He motioned over to the game cabinet that was in the lobby with them, "Behold; this game machine. Within it lays a 'world' you humans with your lower intellect created, but…" Suddenly, Gundham stopped, beginning to laugh, "Fwahahaha! It is but a joke! A pathetic joke! You would be gods of your fictional worlds. And yet you can do nothing but mimic us. Because, you see…This world you cling to as your 'reality' is just one of our game boards!"

"…" Hajime stayed silent. How do you respond to something like that?

"Heh heh heh… What's wrong? Is the truth too much for you?" Gundham taunted. Hajime stayed silent still before turning to leave him alone. Since he had told Chiaki he was going to the restaurant, he might as well go up there at least…When he went up, he was surprised to see quite a few people there, including Ibuki, Akane, and…Fuyuhiko? He decided to talk to Ibuki first, and maybe slowly ease into talking to Fuyuhiko.

"It's bearible! Ibuki has just been through some bearassment!" Ibuki cried out when he came over.

"…Bearassment?" Hajime questioned, confused.

"Harassment by a bear! AKA, bearassment!" Ibuki clarified, "Thanks to that evening announcement Monokuma made, the wonderful lyric Ibuki had in her head flew away and disappeared! Ukyaa! That was the best lyric in Ibuki's history! It gave Ibuki the shivers! That's a huge loss to humanity as well! Why aren't you more shocked?!" Hajime jumped when Ibuki turned on him.

"Um… that's… unfortunate, I guess?" He stated nervously.

"Question mark?!" Ibuki cried, huffing and turning, "Sigh… Hinassment on top of bearassment… Ibuki can't take it anymore. That's her limit. She's going back to her cottage for some indecent sleep! That'll show you!" Ibuki stomped off with that, Hajime blinking as he watched her leave.

"…Hinassment. I think I know what that means." Hajime muttered to himself before turning to talk to Akane. When she saw him coming, she immediately started to address him.

"Yo, Hajime. You look like you have some time. Wanna fight?" Akane asked, freezing Hajime in his tracks.

"W…Why fight, all of a sudden?" Hajime stuttered out.

"Hm? Is that so strange? That's what you do when you have free time, isn't it?" Akane questioned.

"Um… no? Who just… fights… in their free time?" Hajime wondered.

"I had some free time today but no fighting partner, so I went to check our dead classmates' cottages." Akane told him.

"Byakuya and Teruteru? Why would you…?" Hajime trailed off.

"Because, if I just left them alone, someone would probably come and loot them, right?" Akane reasoned.

"W…Who here would do such a thing?!" Hajime questioned.

"Couldn't enter, though. Both doors were tightly locked." Akane told him without responding.

"Locked?"

"Yeah. Seems like Monokuma did it. When I tried opening the doors, he appeared out of nowhere like he always does…Then he muttered something complicated about how he had to do it so the system could function or something, so I…"

"W…Wait! I don't think I want to hear any more!"

"Really? Well, I'm going to bed, then. See you tomorrow!" Akane stated before leaving. And with that, Hajime decided to turn to the last person in the room; Fuyuhiko. He walked over to him, noting that Fuyuhiko didn't seem to register his presence and was looking down while blushing slightly, a hand over his mouth.

"…um…Fuyuhiko?" Hajime started, Fuyuhiko startling and jumping, looking up at Hajime for a second with the eyes of a deer trapped in headlights before his eyes narrowed.

"Oh, it's you, the fuck do you want?" Fuyuhiko mumbled as he glared at Hajime.

"Um, I wanted to know…Are you okay?" Hajime questioned, pulling up a seat and sitting down, Fuyuhiko looking away as his cheeks turned redder.

"Of course I am, Why wouldn't I be?" Fuyuhiko huffed.

"Well, for one thing you keep blushing." Hajime pointed out with a raised eyebrow. Fuyuhiko turned redder, head snapping to him.

"SH-SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Fuyuhiko shouted at him.

"Hey, no need to get so aggressive about it! I'm just trying to help!" Hajime shouted back. Fuyuhiko huffed and turned away.

"This is all her fault…Wh-what was she thinking, assaulting me like that…?!" Fuyuhiko grumbled to himself. Hajime raised an eyebrow.

' **She…?'**

"Wait…Are you talking about Mizuki?"

"OF COURSE DUMBASS!" Fuyuhiko growled out.

"Yeah…Hey, what happened with that by the way? If you don't mind me asking." Hajime wondered. Fuyuhiko sighed, crossing his arms and looking down.

"I might as well tell you, so the story is straight." Fuyuhiko mumbled, "I went to go to breakfast early, so I could get some food before you all swarmed the place, and found Mizuki already there…"

 _Mizuki looked up and smiled at him, giving a wave._

" _Good morning Fuyuhiko! Did you sleep well?" Mizuki asked cheerily. Fuyuhiko scoffed._

" _Drop the act why don't you?" Fuyuhiko requested, "It's just me after all." Mizuki looked at him, a little confused._

" _Act? What act?" Mizuki wondered._

" _That cheery sweet 'I love everyone' act." Fuyuhiko huffed, "Just fucking drop it. The last time we talked you got pissed at me and now you're just all smiles again? I don't buy it." Mizuki looked almost a tad hurt._

" _It's not an act…and I don't love everyone…I just think it's better to be nice is all." Mizuki told him, walking over, looking him over, "And yeah, your actions and words yesterday upset me, but I stand by what I said."_

" _Oh yeah, what's that?"_

" _That you're a good person."_

" _Tch, I'm a Yakuza, do you not understand that?! Or do you really just have no fucking survival instinct in you at all?!" Fuyuhiko yelled. Mizuki's eyes narrowed at him._

" _I don't care what you try to project, or who you try to be for other people. I know you're good. I can feel it." Mizuki asserted._

" _YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ME!"_

" _Then why don't you let me get to?"_

" _I-I-YOU'RE FUCKING INSANE! YOU'RE GONNA GET YOURSELF KILLED!"_

" _By you? Are you gonna kill me?" Mizuki questioned innocently, Fuyuhiko taken aback by her forwardness but not backing down as he stepped closer._

" _Maybe I will! That'd prove to you I'm not the good guy here, wouldn't it?!"_

" _I'd like to see you try." Mizuki muttered. Fuyuhiko growled and out of anger went to grab a knife, but before his hand could even make it's way to it he felt a hand on his tie, pulling him over, looking at Mizuki's narrowed eyes with his wide ones as she pulled him flush against her by his tie, "…Jeez, why do I always fall for the bad boys?" and without another word, kissed him hard on the mouth, Fuyuhiko's eyes wide as she kissed him, hearing a gasp and footsteps as people started to come in, gaping at the scene before them._

"…And you know what happened next." Fuyuhiko muttered, his cheeks flushed red.

"Wow…" Hajime commented, "That's…pretty intense."

"You're telling me! She had me so mad I was about ready to fucking kill her, or at least give her a good slice so she'd know who she was messing with, and she kisses me out of nowhere?! How do you respond to something like that?!" Fuyuhiko groaned, "And that's not even the worst part…"

"What's the worst part?" Hajime inquired, leaning in. Fuyuhiko looked to him seriously.

"I can't get it out of my head." Fuyuhiko stated seriously, "It just keeps replaying over and over and I can't get it to stop!" He flushed and looked away, fingers ghosting over his own lips as Hajime looked at him with wide eyes, almost about to ask what he meant before what Mizuki had said the other day rang in his mind.

"Like she's…in your blood stream…" Hajime muttered, remembering what Mizuki had said. Fuyuhiko glared at him.

"What did you say?"

"Oh, sorry, i-it's just…nothing."

"Typical, why the fuck am I talking to you anyways?" Fuyuhiko muttered, standing up, "I'm leaving. …And to be clear, if you tell anyone about what I said, I'll slit your fucking throat." Fuyuhiko left with that, not saying another word.

"…Good talk." Hajime sighed, deciding it was probably best to leave himself, though he was more curious than ever about what Mizuki had said now…He left and started heading towards the bridge to the center island, coming upon Mahiru when he did.

"Ah, Hajime…!" She exclaimed surprised.

"Mahiru… What are you doing here?" Hajime questioned.

"Um… Well, I was just…Um… I wanted to take some pictures of the ocean at night." Mahiru stuttered out.

"The ocean at night…? That's dangerous, isn't it? You should be more careful." Hajime warned.

"Yeah, I know… See 'ya." Mahiru told him, leaving without another word.

' **That was… more docile than usual. Usually, I'd expect some kind of rant from her…'** Hajime thought to himself, but shook it off, heading to the bridge and walking to the center island. He was surprised however to see Biyuki apparently just finishing off at the game.

"Biyuki? Are you playing the game?!" Hajime exclaimed. Biyuki looked over her shoulder and gave a nod.

"Yeah. Well, I was at least. I'm done now, so don't worry, you can take your turn now." Biyuki assured him, moving away.

"M-My turn?! What makes you think-?"

"Don't act high and mighty Hajime, there is literally no other reason for you to be here right now, unless you want to try selling me the line that you were trying to make sure no one else was playing the game, but we both know that's pretty flimsy." Biyuki shot to him.

"…"

"That's what I thought. I won't judge you for playing it, and I won't tell anyone you did either. Unless you tell people I played." Biyuki warned him, "Fair is fair after all."

"…Why did you come to play it? Because of what Nagito said?" Hajime questioned.

"Well, I think he's right, but that's not why. I wanted to make sure it had nothing to do with Mizuki...or a few other select people…but it seems to be alright." Biyuki told him, "I was right though, it isn't exactly an exciting game. Monokuma has no talent in this stuff."

"…Alright then…" Hajime stated, Biyuki giving a yawn.

"Anyways, feel free to play. I'm going back to my cottage. Have fun!" She wished, waving and walking off. Hajime was silent as he watched after her.

'… **She was very brazen about it…but I guess she's right, there aren't a lot of excuses for being out here. Anyone who found her would need to explain themselves as well…'** Hajime thought to himself, then turning to look at the arcade cabinet, **'…But…should I play it? She said it was boring after all, why should I need to…? …but…if I don't…I won't know…'** Hajime walked up to it, looking at the title screen.

"If it seems to be getting too dangerous, I can always stop playing…" He assured himself, "I'm only going to play… for a little bit." The first thing that was up on the screen seemed to be a warning:

' **Attention**

 **The events, characters and organizations depicted in this videogame are non-fictitious.**

 **Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or actual entities, is entirely deliberate.'**

Hajime blinked as he read this, but shook it off, deciding to follow the instructions to the game and press the start button. After the loading screen, the first thing he saw was a screen that read:

' **The Second Day'**

 **Girl A: … (Ah… I didn't notice the time! I'm late for the meeting…)**

 **Girl A: (Everyone's waiting, so I have to hurry. If I'm late… they're all going to hate me…)**

 **Girl A: (Um… We're meeting at classroom 1-A.)**

Hajime took the girl to the room reading 1-A, where several other girls were waiting for her.

 **Girl B: Ah, finally! You're late! What were you thinking?!**

 **Girl A: I…I'm sorry… P…Please don't be angry…!**

 **Girl D: We're not angry. Calm down…**

 **Girl B: Whatever. Just hurry up and get over here!**

 **Girl A: O…Okay… (I guess… I should go talk to Girl B.)**

Hajime took Girl A over to talk to Girl B.

 **Girl A: Um… You said you had something IMPORTANT you wanted talk to us about, didn't you? …What is it?**

 **Girl E: It's obvious, isn't it? It's about what happened yesterday.**

 **Girl B: Hey! You've all seen today's newspaper, right?**

 **Girl D: Y…Yeah…**

 **Girl A: …Huh? Today's newspaper?**

 **Girl B: I see Girl A's slow as ever. I'm talking about today's evening edition.**

 **Girl C: Here it is! Ta-daaah!**

 **Girl E: …Well, let's see what it says.**

 **The game switched to a picture of a newspaper, telling what the article said on the bottom of the screen.**

 **On July 8, around 6 o'clock in the morning, a custodian who arrived at work at XX Academy discovered a collapsed girl in the second floor music room.**

 **The girl had been hit violently on the head with a blunt object, and was already dead when discovered.**

 **After investigating the scene, police concluded that the culprit broke a window in order to escape.**

 **Currently, police believe the culprit to be an outsider who sneaked into the school.**

 **Girl A:…**

 **Girl B: I can't believe it actually got into the papers!**

 **Girl E: 'An outsider who sneaked into the school'… It's just as we thought. It must've been some pervert who broke in.**

 **Girl E: Yeah, what else can it be? I mean, look at the circumstances… There were stolen school swimsuits too…**

 **Girl C: Sick weirdo pervert! Scary! Breaking into the school to steal swimsuits, killing a girl who got in the way, and escaping through a window…**

 **Girl C: Ukyaaaaaaa! If things had gone DIFFERENTLY, it could've been any one of us!**

 **Girl A: B…But… Are we doing the right thing…? We found the body first… but we're keeping it a secret…**

 **Girl B: Who cares who found it first? It's nothing to worry about. It's not like we're guilty or anything.**

 **Girl E: Yeah… All we did was not report a dead body we discovered. It's not like that's such a big crime.**

 **Girl A: B…But…!**

 **Girl E: We all know what a masochist you are, but I have no intention of getting involved in a murder investigation. I didn't come to this amazing school just to end up dropping out because of something like that!**

 **Girl E: You agree, don't you, Girl D?**

 **Girl D: Y…Yeah… I guess…**

 **Girl C: What's up?! You sure don't sound sure of yourself!**

 **Girl D: U…Um… Actually, there's something I want to discuss with all of you…**

 **Girl A: (What's wrong with Girl D? What could she have to discuss with us…?)**

 **Girl D: To tell you the truth… I took some pictures of that girl yesterday…**

 **Girl E: W…What?! You took pictures of the body?!**

 **Girl D: I thought the police might question us… and that I should take some pictures just to be safe…**

 **Girl A: S…So, where are THOSE pictures now…?**

 **Girl D: I have them here… see?**

 **Girl C: Eeeeeeeeek! Keep them away!**

 **Girl C: We're gonna get cursed! For real!**

 **Girl A: C…Cursed?!**

 **Girl E: Idiot! There's no such thing!**

 **Girl E: Give 'em to me! Those photos shouldn't exist!**

 **Girl D: Ah… Wait!**

 **Girl C: Oh no! Don't tear them up like that! We really are going to get cursed…!**

 **Girl E: I told you, there's no such thing as curses! Those photos make me sick. I'm glad I tore them up! I think I'll go burn the scraps, too! Girl D! If you still have them on your camera's memory card, delete them!**

 **Girl D: S…Sure…**

 **Girl B: Huh? You sound way too desperate, Girl E…**

 **Girl E: A…Anyway, we should just forget this entire thing! We never saw anything! That murder has nothing to do with us, even if we discovered the body…That's all there is to it! So… let's just go back home! It's getting late…**

And with that, the next loading screen came up, reading:

' **The Fourth Day'**

 **Girl E: Sigh… It's gotten so late. It takes way too long to change after archery club…Everyone else'll be gone by now… Looks like I'm going home alone today…**

 **Girl E: Now that I think of it, that incident was about the same time as it is now…Dammit! Why am I thinking of such stupid things?! Yeah, I should just forget that ever happened!**

 **?: I will not… let you… forget…**

 **Girl E: …Huh?!**

 **?: I will not let you… forget…**

 **Girl E: W…Who is it?! Where are you?!**

 **?: I will not let you forget will not let you forget will not let you forget…**

 **Girl E: F…Forgive… me…**

 **Girl E: FORGIVE MEEEEEEEEE!**

The Girl ran off the screen.

 **?: Never…**

 **?: Nevernevernevernevernevernevernevernever**

The screen turned bright red and read:

 **NEVER FORGIVE**

Before loading into another screen, Girl A running into the screen with the other three girls there.

 **Girl D: Ah, Girl A!**

 **Girl A: W…What's going on? Did something happen?**

 **Girl D: I…its terrible! Something terrible happened!**

 **Girl D: Uu…uuuuu…!**

 **Girl C: I…It has to be the curse…! She's been killed just the same way…!**

 **Girl C: It's the curse! It's the curse's fault! And now Girl E is…**

 **Girl A: Girl E…? What happened to her?**

 **Girl B: Look inside that classroom over there… Classroom 1-B…**

Hajime took Girl A into the specified classroom, and there was a small rattle before a picture of a girl-presumably Girl E-laying against a wall with a bloody baseball bat lying beside her came up on screen. After that, the game over screen came up with 'Dull Start' written underneath the Game Over.

"…Huh? That's it?" Hajime questioned, "How come I got a game over screen…? I don't get it at all… But, it seems that's all there is to this game. It started on 'Day 2' and then jumped straight to 'Day 4'…What happened to days 1 and 3? And what's that 'Dull Start' on the game over screen all about? Sure, it was kind of dull… But that was the ending of the game, not the beginning. What the hell is this thing? It's incomprehensible… How is this even a motive?" Hajime sighed and leaned on the cabinet confused, "One thing's for sure, Biyuki wasn't wrong about this being a boring game…I don't think there's anything left for me to do here, so I'll give it some more thought as I walk back to my cottage…" And with that, Hajime turned and walked back to his cottage, before being stopped by a rather surprising sight. Up against the wall of one of the cottages, fervently making out, were Fuyuhiko and Mizuki. He had her pinned up against the wall, his jacket shrugged off onto the floor behind him with his eyes closed, passionately-almost angrily-kissing her with one hand cupping her cheek and the other now loosening his tie, Mizuki smirking into the kiss but still giving it all she had as her hands were tangled in his hair.

"W-What in the hell are you two doing?!" Hajime hissed out, his first instinct to yell but somehow keeping it quiet when he remembered most people would still be asleep. Mizuki parted and peaked around Fuyuhiko, unashamed, but Fuyuhiko stiffened up and his head whirled around, eyes wide and face bright red.

"Oh, hi Hajime!~ You're out awful late." Mizuki commented with a smile, like nothing was wrong. Fuyuhiko looked between the two and then hurriedly stepped back, looking at Mizuki like she was dangerous as he grabbed his jacket off the floor.

"A-awful la-?! W-What was that!?" Hajime demanded once more.

"I-I…Um…" Fuyuhiko stuttered out, obviously flustered as he slid his jacket back on, "I-If YOU TELL ANYONE ABOUT THIS, I'LL FUCKING GUT YOU!" and with that threat he bolted back to his own cottage, rushing in. Mizuki chuckled lightly.

"Mizuki, what just happened?" Hajime asked once more, seriously wanting an answer about this.

"Fuyuhiko came out of nowhere and kissed me while I was going to get a midnight snack." Mizuki explained simply giving a smirk, "I knew he wouldn't be able to resist~ And now he's infected for sure…~" She hummed to herself, then looking back to Hajime, "Anyways, good night!~" And without giving another word of explanation for Hajime, left off. Hajime stood there, blinking confused for what felt like the longest time, before he tiredly went back to his cottage, still perplexed by the game he had played and the scene he had seen moments earlier as he lied down, trying to think of some explanation before falling asleep.

Hajime woke once more to the familiar ding dong ding dong of Monokuma's announcements, not even looking at the screen as he got up and Monokuma flickered onto the screen.

"Um, this is an announcement from Hope's Peak Academy's Field Trip Executive Committee…Good morning, students! It's another perfect tropical day! Let's enjoy it for all it's worth!" Monokuma cheered before the screen went dark again. Hajime considered the game again, but couldn't piece it together as he thought. Maybe the best option was to come clean about playing it to everyone and discuss what had happened. Clearly at least Biyuki had played the game, and he had strong suspicions about Fuyuhiko as well…maybe talking about it would bring more of the players to light and help them all figure it out. At any rate, going to the restaurant would probably be the best idea. The second he left, he saw Mikan, deciding to greet her since it usually seemed to make her pretty happy.

"'Morning, Mikan."

"Uyu… Good morning…" Mikan greeted back, looking to the sky, "We're having good weather today… I'm so glad the sky's clear…! I mean, if it was cloudy today, our plans…" Hajime paused at this, looking at her curiously.

"Huh? Plans?" Mikan stiffened and looked at him alarmed.

"Wah! I…It's nothing! I was just talking to myself!" Mikan panicked, "P…Please excuse me…!" And with that, she ran off towards the restaurant. Hajime looked after her confused and curious.

"…What 'plans' was she talking about? Is something going on?" He muttered to himself. He shrugged it off, noticing Ibuki and walking over to talk to her next, but when he walked up she seemed deep in thought, grunting slightly.

"Hrm… Hrrrrrrrrmmmmmm…"

"Why are you… grunting?"

"Don't worry! Ibuki's grunting is nothing like Nekomaru's! It has nothing to do with body fluids!" Ibuki assured him, "Ibuki's troubles are much more sublime and serious!"

"So, what are they?"

"Ibuki's thinking about her next genre!"

"Genre…?"

"Ibuki wants to put her girl band days behind her! She's gonna break new ground in a whole new genre!"

"Right. Got 'ya."

"But, she can't think of anything that seems to fit. Hrrrrmmm…" Ibuki looked deep in thought once more. Hajime watched for a second then remembered all of the different types of books Mizuki had written in the library.

"Changing genre's hmm…? I think Mizuki might know something about that." Hajime suggested, "She's written in a lot of different genres after all."

"Silly Hajime, book genres and music genres are not the same!" Ibuki laughed, poking his forehead, then smiling at him, "But come let me know if you have a flash of inspiration!" And with that she walked off humming.

' **Uh… Is this something she should really decide based just on inspiration?'** Hajime thought before deciding to go, walking into the lobby then noticing Hiyoko, one of the few people of their group he hadn't seen running around the night before, deciding to go over to her.

"Good morning, Hiyoko." Hajime greeted.

"I wonder why big sis Chiaki never gets tired of playing the same game over and over and over." Hiyoko pondered, not answering his greeting.

'… **That wasn't a proper way to answer a greeting.'** Hajime thought to himself.

"I'll never understand those stupid nerds. Not that I even want to, of course. Honestly, everyone on this island's a huuuge weirdo. Ah, everyone except big sis Mahiru!~" Hiyoko hummed, "And, I guess occasionally big sis Biyuki can be okay. When I talk to the rest of you, I'm always afraid your weirdness is gonna rub off on me." And without another word, Hiyoko walked up the stairs.

'… **That wasn't even a conversation, she just talked at me then left.'** Hajime thought to himself before walking over to Chiaki.

"…'Morning." He greeted cautiously, waiting for the long pause since she was playing a game.

"'Morning, Hajime." She greeted immediately, turning as she finished the game.

"Hey, you replied straight away today! That's rare."

"Yeah. It's because I just finished playing. But, more importantly… I'm a little worried. Is someone bringing food to Nagito?" Chiaki questioned.

"Mizuki brought him breakfast day before yesterday, and I went with her and Biyuki to do so yesterday, but… I'm not sure about anyone else for any other meals." Hajime admitted.

"…I wonder… if I should go check on him later." Chiaki considered, "Well, I'm off to the restaurant." She then turned and went up without another word. Hajime nodded and decided to follow up. Immediately, he was greeted by Sonia.

"Good morning, Hajime." She told him.

"Yeah, 'Morning…" Hajime replied, not really feeling like speaking that much more as he grabbed a plate with food and sat at a table by the window.

"What's up, Hajime? Is that all you're eating?" Akane worried.

"Or maybe you're just eating too much, big sis Akane." Hiyoko teased.

"You're chastising me? All you eat is candy!" Akane shot back.

"Nothing's wrong with an all-candy diet!" Hiyoko defended, "I eat four colors of fruit-flavored gummy every day! That provides all the healthy nourishment I need!"

"Jeez, you and Mizuki are terrible at eating. You should just eat regular fruit, y'know." Biyuki commented, munching on a blueberry muffin slathered in butter.

"You aren't one to talk about healthy eating Bi-kun." Mizuki huffed, pouting.

"Hey, I eat blueberry muffins and some types of fruits and vegetables, that's more than you." Biyuki shot back.

"I don't know how much that helps when you don't drink any water and insist on coating everything in butter though." Mizuki taunted back. Hajime listened to them, and considered bringing up the game, but there didn't seem to be a good opening with which to talk about it.

"Incidentally… are we a person short?" Gundham questioned.

"…Hm?" Hajime wondered, looking around the room.

"Do you mean Fuyuhiko?" Mizuki suggested, tilting her head.

"No, I think it's a foregone conclusion Fuyuhiko will not usually be here…" Peko commented, "I believe Gundham is referring to Mahiru." Hajime was surprised then looked around once more to find, sure enough, that Mahiru was not present.

"That's strange. She hasn't missed a breakfast so far…" Nekomaru muttered.

"Perhaps she is feeling a little bit under the weather?" Sonia offered.

"Could be, could be… But, don't you think that maybe…" Kazuichi started, trailing off.

"W…What are you saying?!" Hiyoko demanded.

"Hm? I just saw her outside the Hotel earlier." Akane told them casually.

"Oh, you did? That's great!" Kazuichi sighed relieved.

"Jeez! What were you thinking, you dummy? Were you trying to jinx it?" Hiyoko scolded, "As punishment, we're going to push you off a cliff. And we'll make you run around in a circle going woof woof woof first."

"T…That's not how I wanna die!" Kazuichi stuttered out.

"It would be pretty entertaining…" Biyuki suggested with a smirk.

"Oh stop it, no one's pushing anyone off a cliff." Mizuki stated, crossing her arms with a small frown.

"Well then let's at least make him run around in a circle going woof woof woof." Hiyoko determined.

"Degradation like that is always fun!~" Biyuki agreed.

"H-hang on a second!" Kazuichi objected.

"I guess if you feel you have to…" Mizuki sighed, not wanting to argue anymore.

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO HELP ME?!" Kazuichi shouted.

"Nevermind all that, what's Mahiru doing outside the hotel?" Hajime wondered, crossing his arms thoughtfully and raising an eyebrow.

"She said she wanted to be alone. I asked her to come to breakfast but she turned me down." Akane explained.

"She… wants to be alone?" Peko questioned.

"P…Perhaps she is going to play that game…" Mikan worried.

"What are you saying, you stupid pig?! No way big sis Mahiru's gone to play some stupid video game! She's nothing like that slow-witted nerd girl over there!" Hiyoko chastised.

"…Ah. Are you, perhaps, talking about me?" Chiaki wondered.

"Hiyuu… And I'm the stupid pig, aren't I…?" Mikan sniffled.

' **Somehow… This still doesn't seem like a good time to talk about the game…'** Hajime thought to himself, considering what to do before someone came to his table and sat by him. He looked up to see Kazuichi, looking at him seriously.

"…Yo, Hajime. Got a minute?"

"W…What do you want?" Hajime stuttered out. No sooner had those words left his lips than Kazuichi leaned in really close and began to whisper in his ear as the others kept arguing.

"Today. 2:30 in the afternoon. Come meet me at the supermarket…And definitely don't tell anyone else about it."

"…Huh?"

"I'll tell you what it's all about when you come… Right now, the others are watching."

"…And why is that so bad?" Hajime questioned before a shadow loomed over them, the two looking up to see Gundham standing over them.

"And what are you lower life forms discussing?" he questioned with a frown and a raised eyebrow.

"I…It's nothing! Besides, it has nothing to do with you. So… just go away now…" Kazuichi told her, rubbing the back of his neck.

"…Heh. How presumptuous. You earnestly believe your petty doings are of any interest to me?!" Gundham laughed, "Fuwahaha! Amusing! Most amusing! I do enjoy the vanity of lower beings! What concern has a king for the ants he tramples on?!" Gundham struck a pose, "I am Gundham Tanaka! The supreme ruler! The Gods of Darkness themselves flee in terror at the mere sound of my name! All that I require… is silence and callousness…Silence… and callousness…" And with that he turned and walked away, Hajime hearing a gentle sigh not far away.

"Gundham-kun is so powerful~" He heard Biyuki mutter gently to herself. He didn't have time to ponder this though, because Kazuichi quickly jammed his mouth against Hajime's ear once more to whisper to him.

"So, Hajime… Don't forget. 2:30. And try not to do too much before you get there. I need you at full strength." He instructed.

"Huh? Full strength…?" Hajime worriedly muttered as Kazuichi drew away once more.

"Anyway, see ya!" He told Hajime before standing up and walking away.

' **W…What was that all about?'** Hajime thought, then looking around and noticing that everyone had already left, sighing as he finished his breakfast that walked back towards his cottage, **'Not only did I not get a chance to talk about the game, all I got out of breakfast was that strange… appointment with Kazuichi…'** When he got back, he sat on his bed and thought about what Kazuichi had said more.

' **Um… I 'promised' Kazuichi I'll meet him at the supermarket at 2:30…'** Hajime thought to himself, **'But, what did he mean when he said he needed me at full strength? Well, whatever… I'll try not walking too much today…But I have a little time, I should go talk to someone else.'** And with that, Hajime got up and went to go find someone to spend time with until he had to meet with Kazuichi. The first person he ran into, oddly enough, was Biyuki, who seemed to be coming back with some art supplies in her arms.

"Oh, Biyuki? What's all that for?" Hajime questioned, Biyuki looking over to him.

"Oh, all of this? Well…Mizuki and some of the other girls have something planned for later, but…It's an activity I'd rather not participate in." Biyuki told him simply, looking away without further explanation, then looking back before he had time to question her, "So I figured I'd do some painting. …Actually, would you mind too much being a model for me? If you aren't doing anything right now." Hajime considered it then nodded.

"Alright, sounds fun." Hajime agreed, following Biyuki back to her cottage and letting her pose him before she started to paint. This went on for a long time, before Biyuki gave Hajime a nod.

"Alright, the portion from you that I need right now is done, I'll finish it up a little later." Biyuki told him, Hajime letting out a breath as he relaxed. Who knew sitting perfectly still could be so much work…?

"Oh, Biyuki, I found this and I thought you might like it…?" Hajime told her, pulling out a pair of earrings dubbed 'The Earrings of Crushed Evil' and handing them to her, "Supposedly the gold one increases luck and the silver one accumulates luck." Biyuki took them and looked them over.

"These are actually really cute…Plus if Nagito-kun's luck managed to do that…maybe if I got some luck I could better protect them…" Biyuki pondered aloud, smiling as she put them on, "Thank you Hajime."

"No problem. …Hey, there's something I wanted to ask you about." Hajime started as he considered something that had been mulling around in the back of his mind.

"Yes? What is it Hajime?" Biyuki wondered, tilting her head.

"Yesterday, you said you and Mizuki had known each other since Seventh Grade, right? And before…during the trial…You said you got that knife you keep with you the day you met Mizuki." Hajime pointed out. Biyuki nodded.

"Yup. What's your point?" Biyuki questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Well…I was wondering…How did you two meet?" Hajime wondered. Biyuki gave a small smile.

"…It's a long story, but I don't mind telling you." Biyuki told him, patting the bed beside her as Hajime came and sat down, "So…In Seventh Grade, I moved to the town where Mizuki was and began to go to her school…"

" _Introduce yourself to the class please." The teacher requested._

" _Okay…Um…M-my name is Biyuki Aishi." Biyuki quietly stated._

" _Alright, well, you can sit back next to Mizuki Tenjo." The teacher instructed, pointing to a seat near the back as a small girl with long, dark brown hair pulled up into two pigtails looked up with bright green eyes behind black glasses settled on her pale, freckled nose shocked, before giving the widest grin ever. Biyuki looked at her cautiously as she went and sat down next to her._

" _Hi, I'm Mizuki! Mizuki Tenjo! Wow, it's great to meet you! Where are you from? What's your favorite hobby? Oh! OOOH! What's your favorite food?!" Mizuki cheered happily, Biyuki was overwhelmed, and shyly scooted away from her, looking at the other frightfully. Mizuki's face fell, her smile looking more forced as her eyebrows relaxed back._

" _O-oh, that's okay then. I understand, not much of a talker. That's okay! Welcome to the school anyways, and if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask!" Mizuki told her cheerfully, turning back towards the front._

 _A few hours later, it was time for lunch, and when they got to the cafeteria, Biyuki realized that her mother had forgotten to pack a lunch, and didn't have any money to buy one._

" _Hey, what's wrong?" Biyuki heard from behind her, suddenly jumping and turning to see Mizuki blinking down at her concerned. Biyuki gulped, fidgeting slightly._

" _U-Um, nothing's wrong…it's fine." Biyuki assured her softly._

" _It can't be fine…people who are fine don't look like that." Mizuki told her, looking around and trying to figure out what was wrong before she realized it, "Oh, you don't have a lunch do you?" Biyuki looked up at her then looked back down, nervous and silent, "…Well, that's okay! Here!" Mizuki put some money down in front of Biyuki, enough to buy a good lunch, as Biyuki's eyes widened, looking up to a brightly smiling Mizuki._

" _O-Oh no, I-I couldn't…" Biyuki stuttered out, trying to give the money back but Mizuki jumped back out of reach._

" _Oh no you don't, no backsies! Lunch is very important you know! Go get something to eat!" Mizuki told her._

" _B-But then you'll be hungry…" Biyuki pointed out. Mizuki shook her head, pulling out a lunch box._

" _Nope, I already have a lunch! That's…um…extra that my Mom must have sent accidentally. I'm sure she won't mind you using it, promise!" Mizuki insisted, "Now go get something to eat!" Biyuki really wanted to give it back, but it seemed Mizuki wasn't taking it back and if it really didn't inconvenience her…_

" _Th-Thank you." Biyuki told her, giving a small bow before running off to get something to eat. Mizuki smiled after her as she hummed to herself, starting to eat her own lunch._

 _It was much later, but Biyuki was getting ready to go home when she heard a small scream. She didn't want to get in trouble…but she decided to go see what was going on. She peaked around a corner, seeing a struggling Mizuki pinned down to the ground and surrounded by a small group of girls._

" _P-Please, let me go!" Mizuki begged as she struggled to get free._

" _We will, as soon as you give us the money you owe us." One of the girls snapped._

" _I-I'm sorry, I don't have it!" Mizuki apologized, "I-I gave it to someone else!"_

" _WHAT?" The girl growled, "I thought we had an understanding Mizuki. You bring us that money every day, and in return we let you get home safe!"_

" _I-I know, but someone else really needed it!" Mizuki told them earnestly. Biyuki's eyes widened as it suddenly hit her._

 _The money that Mizuki had given her for lunch…_

 _SHE was the someone that Mizuki had given the money to!_

" _Well, if you're going back on your side then we have to go back on ours." The girl smugly told her, snapping her hand as one girl pulled out a knife, Mizuki struggling harder._

" _Nononononononono!" She screamed, Biyuki cowering back. What was she supposed to do…? Mizuki had helped her…And now she was in danger because of it! But…What was she supposed to do? She wasn't scary enough to make them all leave her alone! Biyuki peaked around the corner again just in time to hear Mizuki cry out as they slashed the knife through both of her pigtails, making her hair short. Mizuki whimpered as they dropped her pigtails down in front of her._

" _M…My hair…" She whispered softly, trembling._

" _Let this be a warning for you. Next time we cut you-you're gonna BLEED." The leader growled, motioning the girls off as they walked away, seeing Biyuki and raising a brow as they looked at her, Biyuki trembling._

" _Oh, look at this. The new brat. What, you gonna squeal on us?" The leader taunted, smirking as she leaned in. Biyuki looked up at them, a little frightened, but tried to steel her nerves._

" _M-Mizuki d-doesn't deserve that…!" Biyuki tried to tell them._

" _Oh? D-D-Doesn't she?" The leader mocked, pushing Biyuki back, "Don't try to act all tough now. You obviously saw what happened squirt, and that means you watched and did nothing. Obviously you don't have the spine." Biyuki looked up at her, tears pooling in her eyes slightly._

" _I…I…" Biyuki stuttered out, trying to find the words to shoot back._

" _Here, if you wanna do something…" The leader started, snapping and the girl from earlier threw her knife at Biyuki's feet, "There. Now you have a weapon. You gonna use it, or keep being a little crybaby?"_

 _Biyuki was silent, trembling._

" _Well? Come on? Where's that bravado?" The leader sneered._

" _L-Leave her alone…Please…" Mizuki muttered, shakily looking up, "Y-You know no one would believe her about what you did even if she did tell, because I wouldn't say anything…S-so…can't you leave her alone…?" The leader looked back and sneered once more._

" _YOU have no room to talk!" She growled, running back and kicking Mizuki hard in the head, sending her back with a whimper, then the leader scoffing, "This isn't worth my time. Let's go." And with that, all of them left, leaving the knife there, Biyuki staying silent and still, almost paralyzed as Mizuki slowly got to her feet and walked over, putting a hand on Biyuki's shoulder causing her to look up at Mizuki's swelling face, the messy and very short hair framing her face adorned with cracked glasses._

" _Are you okay Biyuki?"_

" _A-Am I okay? What about you?" Biyuki wondered, looking at her worried. Mizuki shrugged, smiling._

" _Eh, it hurts, and I'm sure my Mom won't be too happy about my glasses or my hair, but it's nothing I can't handle. Besides, I'm already growing to like this hairdo!~" Mizuki chuckled, pushing her glasses up, "But they were really rude to you…"_

"… _They were right though. I was standing there that whole time, and I couldn't do anything…" Biyuki muttered to herself, "And…You gave that money…to me. That's why they hurt you." Mizuki shrugged slightly._

" _You needed it more than they did though…And that's what's important." Mizuki told her, then noticing the knife still on the ground, "Oh no…They left their knife…" Biyuki looked at Mizuki incredulously. Was she…? She seemed ACTUALLY worried about those girls for forgetting their knife. What kind of person WORRIED about that?!_

"… _You…you shouldn't worry about them! Worry about yourself! Otherwise, you could get really really hurt!" Biyuki asserted, stepping forward. Mizuki blinked._

"… _Well, I don't care that much if I get hurt…But they could need this knife. What if it belongs to one of their parents or something? Or if it has special value to them?" Mizuki suggested, "To lose something like that would make them upset, wouldn't it? …I don't want anyone upset." Biyuki looked at her incredulously, then looked down to the knife._

" _MIZUKI!" They heard someone call, both of them turning and Mizuki frowning and wincing a bit._

" _That's my mom…I forgot she was coming to pick me up today…Jeez, this is gonna be interesting to explain…I-I'll see you tomorrow Biyuki!" Mizuki told her, waving as she ran off, leaving the knife there. Biyuki watched after her, then bent down and picked up the knife, looking it over._

 _Mizuki was too kind for her own good…it was obvious. She liked to protect and help others…but…_

… _that meant someone needed to protect her, right?_

 _Biyuki slid the knife into her boot and started to walk away._

 _...Mizuki had gotten hurt because she was helping her, then when she had seen it Biyuki hadn't done anything. She'd stood there frozen. She hadn't protected Mizuki when she should have…But she would protect her now._

 _The next day, Biyuki was waiting for Mizuki when she got to class, Mizuki was bruised from the kick and her hair-though looking a little better-was still pretty short and messy, and her glasses were still cracked._

" _Good morning Mizuki!" Biyuki greeted with a wave. Mizuki was shocked at the greeting but smiled, coming over and sitting down next to her._

" _G-Good morning Biyuki…" She greeted with a soft smile._

" _Jeez…your head doesn't look so good…Does it hurt?" Biyuki wondered, looking at her concerned._

" _Ah, a little, but it'll be okay, I swear." Mizuki told her, "I told my mom I cut my hair myself…and she wasn't happy with me but I somehow got her to buy it, even though she knows I love pigtails…but for the rest I just told her I fell down the stairs." Biyuki looked at her sadly, then glanced up at the door as the girls from yesterday walked in…though they weren't unscathed. Each of them seemed pretty cut up, and when they saw Biyuki glaring a small look of fear crossed their face, only increasing when they saw Mizuki. Mizuki tilted her head._

" _Wonder what happened to them? And why are they acting like that?" Mizuki puzzled._

" _Yeah…I wonder…" Biyuki agreed, though she looked down at her sketchbook. The leader came over shakily._

" _U-Um, Mizuki—"_

" _O-Oh, don't worry, I have your money today!" Mizuki told her readily, giving a smile. The girl shook her head wildly._

" _No, KEEP IT! W-We don't want any more payments from you! I-In fact, um, here's the money you've given us." The girl replied, sliding an envelope onto her desk. Mizuki took it in her hands and looked at it astonished, then up at the girl._

" _But…Why?" Mizuki wondered. The girl glanced sideways at Biyuki, then quickly back to Mizuki._

" _Um…To pay for your glasses, I-I guess. J-just take it, okay?" The leader said, then quickly turning and hurrying back to her seat._

"… _That was…odd…" Mizuki muttered, turning to Biyuki, "You think something's wrong?" Biyuki just smiled in response._

" _I don't think so, I bet they just realized what they were doing to you was wrong and decided to turn over a new leaf. Maybe someone bullied them and they realized what it felt like." Biyuki suggested, looking back to her sketchbook. Mizuki looked back to her envelope._

" _Gee, I hope they just turned over a new leaf…I would hate to think someone hurt them…" Mizuki mumbled. Biyuki smirked darkly to herself, reaching down into her boot and readjusting the knife that lay there, covered in drying blood._

" _Yeah…That would be a real shame." Biyuki agreed._

"…And from then on, I was always the person that protected Mizuki from the shadows, bringing justice to whoever decided to pick on her…Until one day Mizuki found out, she got really mad but didn't want to tell anyone because we were such good friends at that point. So, she just watched me closer so if I was gonna hurt anyone, she could try and protect them." Biyuki finished, "But that's how me and Mizuki met." Hajime was looking at Biyuki wide eyed.

"…That's…intense…" He muttered. Biyuki chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Really? Jeez, hope I didn't scare you or anything." Biyuki chuckled out.

"I'll be fine…and…don't tell anyone I said this, but even though I don't agree with how you addressed the Fuyuhiko problem with trying to stab him for shoving her…I think that the way you handled those girls was…actually pretty brave." Hajime admitted. Biyuki looked up at him wide eyed.

"Really, you think so?" She wondered. He nodded.

"Yeah…You got her money back for her that those girls had been extorting, and from the sounds of it, those girls were really going to hurt her if they got the chance…maybe even you…and knowing what they did compared to the things that make you upset enough to pull out that knife now…I'm surprised they're still alive." Hajime pointed out. Biyuki chuckled.

"Well…It was my first time after all, and I didn't even know Mizuki that well then…I thought that it was isolated too, that just those girls were hurting her…that wasn't the case. Lots of people liked to hurt Mizuki, and each time I saw it and the way she would be upset with them, sure, she's not a saint after all…but still would meet them with kindness and do her best to look like it didn't hurt her to make me smile…to lie to me about what happened so I wouldn't get upset…" Biyuki ran a hand through her hair, "I just don't understand it…how she can be so concerned about people that hurt her…and even help them! I saw her not a week after that bandaging up one of those girls after they fell and hurt themselves, and even giving them a piece of her candy. It's like…in the moment, she just can't bring herself to deny anyone kindness…It's really…amazing…but also really stupid and it just makes me so ANGRY when people hurt her, especially when she shrugs it off like that!" Hajime noticed Biyuki grit her teeth and clench her fists, "She deserves better than that…she works so hard to make others happy…and then they turn around and hurt her like that? Unforgivable. It only makes me angrier each time I see it…So now even things that I know aren't that important, that when I've calmed down a little still upset me but I can see I went overboard on, they just fill me with this-this RAGE." Biyuki sighed and let it go, looking to him with a small frown, "It just keeps building…I just…wish she would worry about herself sometimes…" Hajime gave a small nod and went to pat her shoulder, Biyuki sliding away quickly.

"…I don't like to be touched." Biyuki muttered, looking away. Hajime nodded, drawing back in then standing up.

"I should be going, Kazuichi wanted to meet with me soon." Hajime told her. Biyuki nodded, looking up at him.

"Alright, if you need me I'll be here." Biyuki replied, giving a small wave as Hajime left with a wave of his own, heading to the supermarket.

' **What's he up to anyways… asking me to meet him at the supermarket out of nowhere? And he even told me to keep it a secret…'** Hajime thought to himself, **'Is it possible… that he's planning to…? …No, he wouldn't… not him. Of all the people here… he just wouldn't. He's way too easygoing.'** He walked into the supermarket, and walked around, not seeing Kazuichi anywhere.

"Huh…?" Hajime muttered to himself, "It's already past the meeting time, but Kazuichi's nowhere to be seen…"

'… **I've somehow managed to keep my nerves under control, but this sure isn't helping…'** Hajime thought to himself with a sigh. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"…Yo!" He heard from behind him.

"Whoa!" Hajime yelled, whirling around to see Kazuichi.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!?" Kazuichi yelled in response, "W…What the hell?! You trying to give me a heart attack?! I'm just a tiny bit late!"

"L…Late..?" Hajime stuttered out, as taken by surprise as Kazuichi was.

'… **Of course. I forgot who I'm dealing with here.'** Hajime thought to himself.

"So, what do you want? Why are we here?" Hajime wondered.

"Well, you see… I got a favor to ask ya." Kazuichi started a tad nervously.

"A favor…?" Hajime hesitantly wondered.

"See, I accidentally overheard something…" Kazuichi started, "Sonia's got this plan, you see. She's tryin' to cheer everyone up… So, it seems the girls made a plan to go to a secret girls-only swim in the ocean."

"I'm sure it's not secret…" Hajime muttered, "…Wait. What the hell are you planning to do?!"

"Isn't Sonia the best? I mean, goin' to the beach to cheer everyone up? That's a great idea!" Kazuichi sighed, ignoring the question, "It's electrifyin'! My heart's shakin' - it's gonna burn up! So naturally, we're goin' along too!"

"W…Why are you dragging me into this?!" Hajime demanded.

"Because… the 'coincidence' wouldn't be natural if it's just me, would it?" Kazuichi pointed out, "One guy? Shows up outta nowhere? Suspicious as hell. Two guys, who made a plan, which happens to overlap? Much better. I won't take no for an answer. 'Sides… you're the only one I can really ask. I got to know Nekomaru a little because of the thing with Nagito and he's… y'know. Gundham's… just… No way. Fuyuhiko and Nagito himself are out of the question, of course." Hajime sighed and rubbed his neck.

"I think… I get where you're coming from, but still…" Hajime muttered.

"C'mon! I even got you a swimsuit to use! You want all this kindness to go to waste?" Kazuichi whined.

"Are you seriously trying to make me feel guilty about this?" Hajime wondered.

"If you refuse, I'm gonna nag you until you die!" Kazuichi threatened with a whimpering look. Hajime sighed.

"I guess I have no choice…"

"Yes! Knew you'd see the light! We're real soul friends, you and me!" Kazuichi told him, throwing an arm around his shoulders.

"So what's the plan?" Hajime wondered.

"Right. Accordin' to what I accidentally overheard…They're goin' to Chandler Beach, on the second island." Kazuichi informed him, "So, first we're headin' to that diner in front of the beach! The plan's to get there before they do! And then, we'll just happen to run into them!"

"Fine. So all I have to do is come with you to the diner?" Hajime clarified. Kazuichi nodded, practically bouncing.

"Woo! Now I'm getting excited!" Kazuichi cheered happily. And with that he dragged Hajime off after him towards the diner, and it wasn't long until they arrived.

"Finally, we're here! Now all we have to do is sit tight and wait for the girls to show up!" Kazuichi hummed happily.

"So, when are they gonna show up? Surely your proficiency at accidental eavesdropping has allowed you to glean that much?" Hajime sighed as he sat down.

"They said they'd wait 'til the sun's on its way down… 4 o'clock, I think it was." Kazuichi told him. Hajime's eyebrows shot up, looking to the clock.

"But it's only 3 now… are you saying we have to wait an entire hour?!"

"Punctuality's essential to a good plan!"

"Now you're the early bird? Don't you think your priorities are a little out of order?" Hajime huffed, not believing he'd been roped into this in the first place, but this was a lot!

"Whatever. Just keep your eyes peeled." Kazuichi instructed, "What we don't want is for Sonia-san to come by and head straight to the beach while we're not paying attention. We just gotta stay alert. You have to pass this diner if you want to go to the beach…So let's not screw this up! This is not a game!" Hajime sighed and leaned on his hands.

"It isn't? Could've fooled me." He muttered lowly, but Kazuichi either didn't hear him or was just ignoring it because he didn't say anything.

' **Yep… I should've just held my ground and refused to come.'** Hajime thought to himself, looking blankly out the window. After a little while Kazuichi couldn't contain himself from asking:

"They coming? They here yet?"

"It's been 10 minutes, Kazuichi." Hajime shot back with a sigh. Soon twenty then thirty minutes past, Hajime growing more bored with each minute as the only thing Kazuichi wanted to talk about was when they'd show up and what Sonia would do once they did.

"By the way, what kind of swimsuit you think Sonia'll wear? She's a foreigner, so it's gotta be a bikini, right?" Kazuichi suggested, leaning on his hands, "Man… You know that space between the top and bottom of a bikini? It's like… innocence… and fantasy… all mixed together… Isn't it?" Hajime groaned.

"…It's not like I can't see where you're coming from, but… no. I am not having this conversation." Hajime told him outright, looking out the window and becoming surprised when he saw someone walking past, not because someone was, but with whom it was, "…Wait, huh?" At this, Kazuichi peered outside as well, frowning.

"Huh? The hell's he doin' here…?" Kazuichi wondered.

"No idea. Let's go out and check." Hajime responded, the two getting up and running outside and in the way of Fuyuhiko, seemingly startling him.

"Y…You!" He cried out.

"Oh, I thought it was you, Fuyuhiko… What are you doing here?" Hajime questioned.

"I…I should ask you fuckers the same thing!" Fuyuhiko stuttered out.

"You're prickly today, huh? Well, pricklier. What's with the big panic?" Kazuichi inquired curiously.

"N…No one's in a panic! You trying to pick a fight, shithead?!" Fuyuhiko growled. Kazuichi looked puzzled for a second before a lightbulb went off.

"Oh, I see what's goin' on! You heard about my plan!" Kazuichi accused.

"…P…Plan?" Fuyuhiko stuttered out confused.

"Don't try 'n' play dumb…You figured out what we were up to… And then you figured you'd just follow us here, didn't you?" Kazuichi huffed.

"Heeeey guuuuys! What're all of you doing here?!" Ibuki wondered as she ran up to them, tilting her head, "This gathering's very suspicious!"

"G…Good day! Um, fine weather we're having, uh…" Mikan told them nervously, "I won't let you get away this time!" When they all looked to her confused, Mikan began to panic, "Waaaaah! I got too nervous again and said something weird! D…Don't hate me! I'll take any punishment you want to give me!"

"Ah, haha… Fancy meeting you two here…" Kazuichi started, giving a nervous smile, "Um… What a coincidence that we all just so happened to meet right here in this place!"

' **Biyuki was right…Kazuichi is a TERRIBLE liar.'** Hajime thought to himself as he watched him.

"To tell you the truth, me and Hajime over here were just about to go swimming. Just the two of us…" Kazuichi lied to them, then getting a mock surprised look, "Oh? Could it be… that you were, too? Who'd have thought! Could this be fate?"

"Suspiciouser and suspiciouser! Your eyes are darting back and forth like they're fishes about to lay some eggs!" Ibuki accused.

"N…No… That's the way they always are… I'm always on alert, you see…" Kazuichi laughed out.

' **The hell you are!'** Hajime thought to himself as he rolled his eyes.

"You two're a bit on the early side, aren't you? It's only 3:30… Isn't there still half an hour until your meeting time?" Kazuichi pointed out. Hajime had to forcibly stop himself from face palming.

"Um… how did you know we were going to meet here?" Mikan questioned, Kazuichi looking alarmed.

"He even knows the time!" Ibuki agreed.

"N…No… That's just…" Kazuichi stuttered out, "Anyway, let's not forget that our meeting here is a lucky coincidence! How about we stick together?"

' **Wow, he's switching to an aggressive strategy…'** Hajime noted with a sigh.

"So that's your ulterior motive, huh? Your final target's Sonia-chan, right?" Ibuki accused.

"Probably…The creep…" Fuyuhiko muttered as he crossed his arms.

"D-Don't say stuff like that!" Kazuichi whined.

"I…I really really don't want to be rude and refuse you, but…But, since it was Sonia who planned this event, we must ask her first…" Mikan whimpered out.

"Well then, can't say fairer'n that! It's shocking even to imagine Sonia refusing, so I won't!" Kazuichi hummed happily.

' **I don't even know if what he said just then is optimistic or pessimistic.'** Hajime thought to himself, just wanting to stay out of this as much as possible.

"Hey, how 'bout we go inside? Ibuki got a little hungry and that's why she's here early!" Ibuki cheered.

"Right! Let's wait inside, then!" Kazuichi agreed.

"I think I'll head on my way…I'm not really up for swimming right now anyways." Fuyuhiko huffed, turning to leave, seeming a bit on edge still.

' **I'm worried about Fuyuhiko but… well, I guess I've come this far so there's no turning back.'** Hajime thought as he turned and followed the others inside. When they got back in, he sat down by the window again without hesitation. He sighed at the situation he was in once more.

"By the way, what about your swimsuits? We're not allowed to change in that gorgeous beach house, remember?" Kazuichi pointed out.

"Y…Yes… That's why I'm already wearing mine." Mikan informed him.

"Today, there's no underwear under these clothes! There's a swimsuit!" Ibuki exclaimed.

"Hah! Should've guessed! I did the same thing!" Kazuichi chuckled.

"…Huh? You did?" Hajime questioned.

"Oh, that's right. You still don't have yours on, Hajime." Kazuichi recalled, "You'd better go to the bathroom and put it on, then! Here you go." Kazuichi handed him what appeared to be a camouflage speedo, Hajime turning bright red.

"W…What the hell is this thing?!" He practically hissed at Kazuichi.

"U…Um… I'm sorry for intruding, but…This swimsuit's… a little too audacious!" Mikan whimpered.

"It would be bad if something slips out, wouldn't it? If this was a live action movie, we'd be breaching the broadcast code!" Ibuki pointed out.

"Well, then, we're fine! Who'd want to make a movie out of this?!" Kazuichi stated confidently.

"That's not the problem!" Hajime argued.

"What the hell?! Too much into yourself to wear a matching swimsuit with me?!"

"You're wearing the same one?! In that case, never!"

"Sniff… I don't like fighting… Please stop…" Mikan whimpered.

"Ooh, the atmosphere has grown violent. I hope the rest get here soon." Ibuki mentioned, looking out the window, "huh?"

"What is it?" Hajime wondered curiously.

"Look, outside!" Ibuki instructed. They all came over and looked to see a frantic looking Hiyoko running down the street.

"Isn't that…Hiyoko?" Hajime questioned.

"…And I got my hopes up and everything. Thought it'd be Sonia at last…" Kazuichi sighed.

"Does she look… strange… at all?" Hajime wondered, wanting to see if anyone else noticed.

"If Ibuki had to write a song about it, she'd call it 'A Dash of Tears'!"

"Huh? It looks like she's running away from the beach. Did something happen?" Mikan worried as they all watched her rush by at full speed.

"She's already gone… Isn't she coming to the beach party?" Kazuichi wondered, looking to the other two.

"Um… It seems she can't swim, so she refused the invitation…" Mikan informed them.

"But… didn't she just come from the beach?" Kazuichi pointed out.

"I…I'm sorry… I don't know enough to answer those questions…" Mikan apologized.

"Well, let's just call it 'a woman's unpredictability' and leave it at that. And she's not the only one! Ibuki was certain Mahiru-chan was going to come, but she refused too. That sure was unexpected!" Ibuki told them.

"Mahiru… ? She's not coming?" Hajime wondered, "That's strange. This event seems right up her alley. Frankly, I'm surprised it wasn't her idea in the first place.."

"Well, nothing we can do about it! Seems she's not feeling too well!" Ibuki hummed out.

"Um… I'm sorry to raise the topic again, but… why do you think Hiyoko was crying?" Mikan inquired.

"How should we know…?" Hajime wondered.

"Speaking of…" Kazuichi interrupted, "…When did you get here?" the others all turned to where Kazuichi was looking and saw Chiaki standing there in a white frilly bikini.

"Awww. I was sure I'd be the first one here, since I'm so early." Chiaki sighed. Hajime couldn't help but stare, feeling a blush creep onto his face.

"Whoa! You came already in your swimsuit, Chiaki-chan?!" Ibuki questioned.

"Otherwise, it would just become luggage later, wouldn't it? That would be… a disaster." Chiaki reasoned.

"You say that… and yet you still have that backpack of yours on, and that box in your hand." Kazuichi pointed out.

"I thought it would be fun to eat lunch together… so I brought ice cream for everyone." Chiaki told them.

"Um… I don't mean to be negative, but…But… I don't think you should replace a proper lunch with ice cream…" Mikan stuttered out.

"I also thought we should all play together at the beach… so I brought some board games!" Chiaki informed them.

"Ibuki passes! There are things to do in the ocean that are much more fun!"

"…Oh. That's too bad…" Chiaki sighed.

"But, how should I put it…That's hotness where you least expect it, right?!" Kazuichi questioned, "Y'know, when meek girls put on a daring swimsuit, it's the greatest thing in the world! Know what I'm saying, Hajime?"

"No… Um, I mean…" Hajime tried to get out, but he couldn't help the feeling of his heart racing in his chest.

"Also… those are much larger than I expected from Chiaki…"

"…Larger?" Chiaki questioned.

Hajime nearly punched Kazuichi out right there.

"T…That wasn't me! Hajime said it! He's the pervert!" Kazuichi panicked.

"What the hell?!" Hajime yelled, punching Kazuichi hard in the arm.

"OW! Besides, I've only got eyes for Sonia! It's always been my dream to date a gorgeous blonde woman!" Kazuichi whimpered, scooting away from Hajime.

"…This swimsuit may be too small for me… But it was the only one that fit." Chiaki told them, "…Does it make me look bad?"

"…Huh? No… I, um… I think it fits you very well…" Hajime assured her as he flushed and looked away.

"Oh, that's great! …I think." Chiaki replied.

"Wohoooo! That sure's one daring bikini! A white one, so you score even more! It makes Ibuki's heart go beyond thump thump and into the boom boom level! It's so loud it might go out of order!"

"That's probably just arrhythmia…"

"H…Hey… Sorry I'm late…" They heard from the door, turning to see Akane there in a blue and white striped bikini…with blood all over her.

"Y…Yo…! Have you… been… waiting long…?" Akane asked.

"Eeeeeek! Akane?! W…What happened?!" Mikan fretted.

"W…What? I…Is something… wrong? I even… wore a swimsuit, like you wanted…"

"…That's not it! You're wounded!"

"R…Right now someone could give you a nickname like 'Miss Bloody' and it wouldn't be inappropriate!" Ibuki agreed.

"O…Oh, that thing…I just ran into him on the way here. Ol' man Nidai, I mean…What was I supposed to do, not fight him?!" Akane reasoned.

"I… don't see how that follows." Hajime replied sincerely.

"Are you sure you're alright? Somehow… it looks like your head is broken in half!" Ibuki stated.

"I'll just rub some saliva on it and it'll get all better, right?" Akane shrugged off.

"Saliva isn't some magical healing lotion, y'know!" Kazuichi told her.

"Heh heh… but, it was really exciting! I can't believe such a strong person is on this island with me…!" Akane chuckled excitedly.

"A…Anyway, you need some first-aid treatment! We don't want the wounds to get infected…!" Mikan insisted, grabbing her hand and dragging her away towards the bathroom, "Akane, come with me!"

"Huh… guess she really is an 'Ultimate Nurse'… Well, least we know Akane's in good hands…" Kazuichi remarked.

"Hi everybody, I'm here!" They heard once more from the door, looking over to see Mizuki bouncing in in a dark purple bikini with black straps and a black bow in the center and on the sides of the bottoms, opening her eyes and squeaking when she saw Hajime and Kazuichi, blushing when she saw them.

"W-what are you two doing here…? I thought it was just gonna be girls…" Mizuki worried. Hajime couldn't help but see what Teruteru had been talking about now when he had talked to him in the kitchen before the party…Mizuki was…rather well endowed, as she herself had said, but it was hard to believe with the way she wore those dark, baggy hoodies…but now, it was very obvious. Unlike most of the other girls in the bikinis though, she had a little bit more of a belly to her, and her thighs were bigger as well.

"Woah! Mizuki! Very unexpected!" Kazuichi exclaimed.

"Ibuki is so proud!~" Ibuki hummed out.

"I-Ibuki! What are they doing here?!" Mizuki whined.

"They were there when we got here. They're gonna ask Sonia if they can join us." Ibuki explained.

"Oooohhh, I would never have worn this if I knew they'd be here!" She whimpered, blushing as she held her elbows and looked away.

"Why not? You look great!" Kazuichi complimented, "Not quite as much of an hourglass figure like Chiaki or Akane, but a nice full figure none th-OW!"

Hajime had kicked him hard under the table. Mizuki teared up slightly.

"M-Maybe I should just go ch-change…" She whimpered, turning as if to go.

"No, don't let us being here get to you. If that's what you're comfortable in, you should wear it." Hajime assured, making an asserted effort not to look at her body as he talked to her. Mizuki wiped away her tears, though she couldn't help casting a small glance at Chiaki before looking to herself and then away.

"M-Maybe…"

"Hey, shouldn't Biyuki be with you?" Kazuichi questioned.

' **You should be glad she's not with what you just said…'** Hajime thought to himself as Mizuki shook her head.

"No, she didn't want to come…Biyuki doesn't really like swimming in the ocean apparently." Mizuki explained.

"Eh? Why not?" Ibuki wondered, tilting her head. Mizuki shrugged.

"She said something about the creatures in the ocean, something about Finding Nemo…? I dunno, it's the first I've heard of it but she seemed pretty freaked out so I didn't push her." Mizuki replied.

' **So this is the thing that she didn't want to do with the other girls…That explains a lot actually.'** Hajime thought to himself, remembering the earlier painting session.

"…What is going on? You are all very loud." They heard, all of them turning to see Peko walk in, dripping wet with her hair down and her sword bag on her back, glasses on her face, as she stood there in a small black bikini, a very attractive body, thin and busty, now obvious as they looked. Mizuki looked her up and down then sighed.

"…That's it, I'm gonna go change." She said, leaving before anyone could object, Peko looking as she did and then back confused.

"…Was it something I said?" Peko wondered, then her eyes fell upon Hajime and Kazuichi, "…Hm? Kazuichi and Hajime… Why are you two here?"

"What's up with you? You seem out of breath…" Kazuichi noted.

"…I went to take a quick swim." Peko told them.

"You were swimming…?" Hajime questioned.

"I spent three hours swimming around the island." Peko explained.

"It's going to be the lamest comeback ever but Ibuki's making it anyway! That's not 'quick' at all!"

"But… why'd you go swimming already? That's what we're here for! To swim!" Kazuichi pointed out.

"I wasn't swimming for fun. I was attempting to reach the other islands via the ocean." Peko explained.

"…Eh?" Hajime voiced.

"But, no matter how far I swam I could not find them anywhere. It seems leaving this island by sea is going to be difficult." Peko sighed.

"I wouldn't call it difficult… Swimming for three hours and not finding the islands we know are there? That's impossible…" Hajime commented.

"Yes, you may be right…" Peko agreed.

"Hey, Hajime…" Kazuichi muttered.

"…Hm? What is it?" Hajime wondered.

"Wet, straight-back hair's not such a bad thing, y'know what I mean?" Kazuichi stated. Hajime gave him the look of: 'You have got to be kidding me' but Ibuki took it from there, popping up between the two.

"Plus, that body of hers is awfully shocking!" She exclaimed, "Lately, the young women of Japan are developing splendidly! Is this a proclamation of war against the women of the world? Very well! Ibuki shall use technology to get on even ground! Silicon, go!"

"You are making no sense." Peko said flatly.

"Anyway, most of us're here now, and it's past the 4 o'clock meeting time…Which means, all that's left is for the main event to…" Kazuichi started.

"…Ah! I apologize for being so late." They heard, Kazuichi jumping startled.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAA! SONIA'S HERE!"

"Amazing how his attitude can swing 180 degrees in a single second!" Ibuki commented aside to Hajime, who had to stop himself from laughing.

"Right! Now's the time! I finally see what kind of sexy swimsuit Sonia's in!" Kazuichi recovered as they all looked to the door to see Sonia walk in, hair pulled back and wearing a black, pink, and white wetsuit, "Gyaaa! A wetsuit?!"

"It's a measure against sunburns. It wouldn't do to have my skin damaged. But, I have never wore a wet suit before, so it took me some time to put it on. That's why I'm late." Sonia explained, "…Sooorryyy."

"I see… A wetsuit…Well, she does have to protect that pure white skin of hers…" Kazuichi relented, coming to terms with his disappointment before bouncing back, "But those curves under the wet suit sure are amazing! As expected from a 100% pure princess!"

' **That guy… sure can recover fast.'** Hajime thought to himself.

"Um… By the way, what are you two doing here?" Sonia questioned, tilting her head in confusion.

"…Well, you know, Sonia…" Kazuichi started, "If I may be straightforward, please let us join your beach party!" Hajime shook his head at Kazuichi's excitement, sighing slightly to himself.

"Um… This was supposed to be a girls-only event so we could deepen our friendship without too much worry…" Sonia commented.

"Please! I'll do anything!" Kazuichi begged.

"There's no harm in it, is there? It's not such a big deal if the guys are there too." Chiaki stated with a shrug.

"That may be so… I suppose that since you're already here, it would be rude to send you back." Sonia relented with a sigh.

"You're so kind, Sonia…!" Kazuichi hummed happily, "Right! Now that that's settled, let's do this!"

"But, Akane's still in the bathroom with Mikan…And Mizuki ran back to her cottage to change." Hajime stated.

"Shut up! You trying to ruin my mood?! I…I'll go up ahead and make preparations!" Kazuichi asserted, "I can set up some parasols, and get some drinks for everyone…We're gonna have fun today! I'll put my heart and soul into making sure of that!" and with that, Kazuichi ran out like a bullet.

"U…Um…" Hajime stuttered, not sure how to react to being surrounded by girls in swimsuits, "...I…I think I'll go help him…" And with that, Hajime quickly left the diner and headed toward the beach. Though, it wasn't long before a familiar 'ding dong ding dong' sounded through the air, stopping him in his tracks. That bell…But…It wasn't morning…or night…so it could only mean…

"No way!" Hajime said aloud in a hushed tone, looking towards the nearest monitor as it flickered to life to show Monokuma.

"A body has been discovered! After a short period of investigation, we will start a 'school trial'!" Monokuma announced before the screen went dark again.

"A…A body…? N…No way! He's messing with us!" Hajime assured himself.

"S…Someone! Anyone…! COME QUIIIIIIIIIIICK!" Hajime suddenly heard from the beach house.

"That was… Kazuichi's voice just now!" Hajime exclaimed, running to the door of the beach house and trying to open it, but to no avail, feeling like something was blocking the door. So, he ran to the other side, to the other door as quickly as he could, grabbing the doorknob but hesitating for a moment.

"…I… won't… believe it…" Hajime almost whispered to himself before walking in. But the moment he entered…His certainty was gone.

Because there, leaning on the door that he couldn't open, surrounded with blood…was Mahiru's dead body.


	7. Chapter 7

**Wow, wish there were a few more reviews on this, but thank you to every one who has reviewed! I hope to see more soon, but I'm really happy with the feedback I've gotten thus far! I hope you all enjoy this chapter as well! Still don't own Danganronpa or any of the characters besides my OCs!**

 **Ch** **apter** **7**

For a moment, all Hajime could do was stare. Stare at the lifeless body of Mahiru before the words bubbled up in his throat to where he couldn't stop them.

"Why is this happening?!" He yelled out, every muscle on his face stiffening, his vision started to darken at the corners, nearly falling to his knees as he leaned against the wall for support.

"Hajime…" Kazuichi whimpered, Hajime shakily turning to look at him, "This day started so well…We were gonna have a beach party… We were gonna… have fun…So… How come…? HOW COME THIS HAPPENED?! SOMEONE, TELL ME NOW!" Hajime didn't have any answers…how could you have an answer for this? Ibuki came in around him, looking at the two of them then to the body, blinking.

"…Huh? …Um…Abuabuabuabuabuabuabu!" Ibuki began to foam at the mouth as shock overtook her.

"T…This ain't the time to go into shock! Go get the others!" Kazuichi instructed, shaking her slightly. Ibuki snapped out of it, looking to him and nodding quickly before running out. It felt like a long time before Ibuki arrived with the others…Some of them needed to change, so it probably took a while…He was too much in shock to register it though…Nothing felt real until he heard the others arrive.

"W…What's going on?!" Akane exclaimed.

"Eeeeeeeeek! W…Why is Mahiru-?!" Mikan shrieked. They were all standing in front of the beach side door, faces pale with fright.

"W…What happened here…?!" Sonia stuttered out as she went to come in, but before she stepped Chiaki raised her voice up.

"…Ah, wait! Please be careful… not to step over here." Chiaki requested, all of them looking to her.

"…Where?" Peko wondered.

"Right here. In front of the door." Chiaki clarified, "See the trail of footprints leading out of the house? I'm sure that's an important clue. So you mustn't step on them."

"A…A clue…? So is this really…?" Sonia shakily stuttered out.

"…You all heard the announcement, didn't you? We're going to have a school trial shortly…" Chiaki regrettably muttered out.

"A…A school trial?!" Ibuki yelled.

"Do you mean… it happened again?!" Akane exclaimed.

"Exactly! One of you bastards killed her!" Monokuma confirmed as he appeared out of nowhere.

"K…Killed…?!" Mikan whimpered.

"You sure it wasn't just… an accident… right?" Kazuichi wondered.

"Well… if you really think about it, isn't an accident still 'death caused by someone's actions'?" Monokuma hummed, "So… even if it's an accident, it's still murder in my book. Usually, you'd get into vague philosophical discussions, but on this island's everything's plain black and white. On this island, every death is a murder. Well, maybe I'll let death by disease off. Not that that'll ever happen here, though. I mean, you bastards have your kind teacher Monomi to take care of that."

And that would be when an angry looking Monomi appeared out of nowhere as well, glaring at him.

"…Oops. 'Speak of the rabbit', as they say… That is what they say, right?" Monokuma chuckled. Monomi gave him another silent glare before looking remorsefully at Mahiru's body.

"Aww, I'm getting the silent treatment! My one weakness… How did you know…?" Monokuma groaned, "No! I don't care! I won't give in to bullying! I promised myself I'd be a strong boy!" That's when Monomi began to sniffle.

"It's a nightmare… It's a tragic, unbelievable nightmare…Now we have another victim… and it's all Monokuma's fault…" Monomi sniffled out.

"What?! This is not my fault at all!" Monokuma defended, "…Oh? So whose fault is it, you ask? Well, that's why we're having a school trial, isn't it? Speaking of, let's not waste another second! We have no time to mess around! So here, making its regular appearance, is The Monokuma File 2! Good luck with your investigation! I'll see you at the school trial!" Monokuma then disappeared as always.

"Another school trial…? Another investigation…? Too cruel… Unreasonably cruel…" Monomi sniffled.

"T…Then why don't you do anything to stop those murders?! You have the power to do that much, don't you?!" Kazuichi yelled.

"I… did, until he showed up…" Monomi muttered sadly.

"I think that now, even if she tried…He'd probably prevent her. I mean, just from looking at their relationship…" Chiaki reasoned.

"Yes… Monokuma took everything from me… My Magical Stick… My security cameras…All I have left are my ears… And they're only three times more sensitive than a human's…" Monomi whimpered.

"I see. That would mean you do not have much sense of what's going on around the island…" Peko decided.

"Sniff… I really am useless… Powerless and useless…" Monomi lamented before she disappeared as well.

"Hey, let's just forget about her… What are we gonna do?" Akane questioned.

"Hiyuuuu…! D…Do we really have to do it? Are they really going to make us do those cruel things all over again?" Mikan sniffled out sadly.

"It is… truly unimaginable. Who among us would want to kill Mahiru…?!" Peko wondered incredulously.

"I can't take it anymore… Investigation? Trial? I can't do it!" Kazuichi whimpered out.

"We… all feel the same. But it's not like we have a choice…" Hajime muttered, "B…Besides…I have to know why Mahiru is dead… We can't just let something like this pass."

"Yeah. We have no choice." Chiaki agreed, "Because… We must never forgive something like this.…We can't ever forgive mutual killing."

"Chiaki…" Hajime breathed out.

"I know the culprit must have had their reasons. Teruteru had his. I know very well that it's Monokuma who's really at fault. But still… Still…We can't ever forgive mutual killing." Chiaki asserted. They all were silent for a moment, taking in Chiaki's words.

"…In any case, if we don't do it, we will all be killed. We have no choice if we want to survive." Peko agreed.

"So let's do this!" Akane called out.

"I believe… that is what Mahiru would have wanted. She would want us to solve the mystery of her death…" Sonia stated, giving a soft nod.

"Well… let's start. Who killed Mahiru Koizumi? And why?" Chiaki wondered, "We have to find out. We must stop these mutual killings." They turned when they heard someone stepping inside, watching as she noticed the footprints and carefully went around them, not looking up into the room.

It was Mizuki, though not in her normal clothes…She was in a one piece bathing suit, black with blue trim along the collar and arm holes as well as a blue skirt.

"…I-Is it true…? Is someone…?" She stuttered out.

"…Yeah…Mahiru." Hajime confirmed, though the outfit Mizuki had on was not exactly appropriate for the occasion, Mizuki's head flying up at that as her eyes made contact with Mahiru's dead body—a sight she had obviously been trying to avoid—as she nearly wretched, trembling and falling to her knees as she couldn't make herself look away.

"M-Mahiru…No…" She whimpered softly.

"…Mizuki, maybe we should get you out of here…And get you changed." Peko suggested, kneeling down to her, but Mizuki's gaze didn't waver.

"…I'm in this because…I had already started changing when I heard the announcement…I knew it would take me a while to search around…So I just slipped it on…When I didn't find anything on the first island…I figured I should…but now…Mahiru…" Mizuki trailed off, tears in her eyes as she held her stomach, nails sinking into herself.

"That's right…" Hajime muttered, "The announcement didn't say where…"

"I-I'll take Mizuki out…and we can t-tell the others where…where this is…" Mikan offered, "I-I need a second to calm down from all of this m-myself…P-Please, come w-with me Mizuki?" Mizuki looked up to her, seeing Mikan's face, and gave a nod, shakily standing up as the two left, allowing the others to investigate so they could go tell everyone else and get a moment away.

"…I hope they'll be okay…" Chiaki muttered, looking after them.

"…At any rate…Let's start the investigation." Hajime decided, first looking at the Monokuma file.

 **The victim is Mahiru Koizumi. The time of death was around 3 o'clock in the afternoon…**

 **The body was found inside the beach house at Chandler Beach.**

 **The cause of death was a single blow to the head from a blunt instrument.**

 **There are no other visible wounds, nor any traces of drugs in the victim's body.**

' **Around 3 in the afternoon… That's about when Kazuichi and I arrived at the diner…If we had just gone straight to the beach house instead…'** Hajime thought bleakly, then shaking his head **, '…No… Now's not the time for regrets. Right now, I have to concentrate on doing what I can. I have to find the truth behind Mahiru's death. That's the only way the rest of us can survive.'** Hajime took a deep breath, next turning to the body.

"She was so full of life before… Is that really her?" Hajime muttered as he looked down at her fallen, lifeless body. He shook his head. There was no time to be sentimental, he had to examine her…properly. He noticed once more that her body was propped against the door, which was what must have stopped them from opening it in the first place…The blood on the floor was smeared in the direction of the door too…Maybe she was trying to escape…? Other than that by looking at her Hajime couldn't find anything the Monokuma file didn't already tell him…So he moved on to other things, first going to Chiaki.

"Suspicious… Very suspicious." She muttered to herself.

"…Did you find a clue or something?" Hajime wondered.

"Those footprints over there. See how they're right in front of the beach-side entrance?" Chiaki pointed out.

"Oh, right. You mentioned them before…" Hajime remembered.

"Kazuichi's and your own footprints from when you found the body are leading into the beach house, but…This set of footprints is facing the other way. They're going out of the house." Chiaki pointed out.

"I know, right? Thought there was somethin' weird there." Kazuichi agreed, suddenly right behind the two.

"…You too?" Hajime questioned.

"When I got here - I mean, when I came outta the tunnel - obviously I tried the tunnel-side door first…But it wouldn't' open. So I came 'round to the beach-side door instead." Kazuichi narrated.

"It wouldn't open because… Mahiru's body is blocking it." Hajime reasoned.

"That's when I saw the footprints. They go the whole way from the beach-side door 'round to the tunnel. One set of footprints." Kazuichi stated.

"Footprints leading away from the beach house… Yeah, that is suspicious." Hajime agreed.

"Hmm… Maybe… Didn't Peko say she was just back from a swim? Maybe the prints're hers…?" Kazuichi offered, Peko overhearing and coming over.

"Regrettably, I embarked on my investigatory swim from the beach on the first island. I don't know anything about this one." Peko told him simply.

"You… sure you're tellin' the truth?" Kazuichi wondered.

"But, these footprints begin at the beach house and lead to the tunnel, don't they?" Chiaki pointed out.

"Had they been mine, they would go to the tunnel directly from the beach. Anything else would be strange." Peko stated.

"So… whose footprints are they?" Kazuichi questioned.

"I would imagine they are the culprit's… Though of course I do not know who that is yet." Peko replied simply.

"…Well… The one thing that's for sure is that they are a clue. …Right?" Chiaki stated, the others nodding in agreement. They then went their separate ways to look around once more, Hajime walking up to Kazuichi when he heard him muttering to himself.

"Hmm… Somethin's strange here…" Kazuichi muttered.

"What is?" Hajime questioned.

"Well… Figured I'd calm myself down… So I went to grab somethin' from the fridge over there…And, well… I could've sworn the selection there is… Well, compared to yesterday…" Kazuichi considered before waving it off, "…Nah, probably just my imagination. 'Sides… who cares about the damn drink selection anyway…"

"So…?"

"Forget it! Doesn't matter! See? I can solve my own problems sometimes." Kazuichi huffed. Hajime put up his hands and walked off without another word, looking over to Ibuki next, but she just seemed to be in shock, so he moved on to Sonia.

"I'm confident… that Mahiru would want us to discover the truth behind her death…But… I'm sure what she wished for even more…Was for us all to have lived peacefully and never have had to go through this…" Sonia commented. Hajime nodded, deciding to leave Sonia to grieve as he went over to Peko.

"So she can never forgive mutual killing… I see." Peko muttered, then noticing Hajime, "Don't you find the way Chiaki was acting just now… strange? She seems to be taking this subject extraordinarily seriously."

"Of course she is… I mean, it's not just Chiaki, is it? Anyone should feel the same." Hajime replied.

"I suppose… you are right." Peko agreed. Hajime nodded then decided to look over the crime scene himself. He noticed the metal bat once more, lying on the ground covered in blood. That was probably referring to this…Right…?

"Huh? Wait, a bat…?" Hajime said to himself. Somehow that was…familiar…

"It's the same as in Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery." He heard from behind him, jumping and nearly falling back into Mahiru's dead body as he turned around to see Chiaki.

"…Huh?" He questioned.

"The girl called Girl E was killed during that game's 4th day…And, just like Mahiru, she was killed with a metal bat." Chiaki recalled, looking to him, "Could it be… that you played that game too, Hajime? Is that why you also think that's suspicious?"

"Y…Yeah… Actually, I did…" Hajime admitted.

"So… you played it too, huh?" Chiaki muttered thoughtfully, "…In that case… you've probably figured it out too…This murder is deeply connected with Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery. I think. I'm sure that if we want to solve the mystery of Mahiru's death, we must first solve the mystery in that game…"

"You say that… but was there anything helpful in that game, at all?" Hajime questioned, "It just started in the middle of the story, and ended without explaining anything…"

"Oh… that's just because you haven't beaten it yet." Chiaki told him.

"Beaten…? Well, I got a Game Over screen… did you actually manage to get past that?"

"I'm not some shallow girl who'd talk about a game she hasn't even beaten, you know!" Chiaki huffed, crossing her arms offended.

"But… what could I even do in that game if I wanted to finish it?" Hajime questioned.

"…I can show you, but first I think we should finish investigating here." Chiaki told him, Hajime nodding as he went to go look around some more. Hajime looked around, noticing the mask lying beside Mahiru's body.

"Hm…?" He questioned, kneeling to look at it, "What is this thing? A mask? Did someone bring this here from the toy section of the supermarket? Maybe someone was going to use it at the party… But still, what's it doing on the floor here?" Peko walked over, hearing his words.

"Perhaps… the culprit had it on to hide their face?" Peko offered.

"I'm not sure… I mean, wouldn't it just attract attention to them? A lavish mask like that…" Hajime contemplated.

"…A lavish mask?" Sonia questioned, perking up from the corner and hurrying over, gasping when she saw it, "Oh my! That mask?!"

"…Do you know what it is?!" Hajime wondered.

"It's 'Sunny Witch Esper Itou-chan'! It's a super-interesting anime show! It has a viewer rating of over 90% in my country!" Sonia told him, "N…No way! Did you find that mask next to the body?!"

"Yeah, that's where it was…" Hajime agreed tentatively, a bit knocked back by Sonia's excitement.

"I…If that is true, then… then…!"

"Then… what?"

"U…Um! Please give me some more time! Excuse me!" Sonia stated before running out like a flash.

"What was that all about…?" Hajime breathed out.

"…It seems she knows something." Peko reasoned, "We should wait. She will likely tell us about it eventually." Hajime nodded slowly, going to look at the rest of the crime scene. Hajime decided to peek inside the trash can to see if there was any clue.

"You'd think so, but…Hmmm. Nothing but empty plastic bottles. Doesn't seem like there're any clues here." Hajime thought aloud, "Yeah… Not really sure what I was expecting, honestly." He looked to the drink refrigerator next, since it was right beside it, remembering that Kazuichi had said something about it.

"Is it me or… are there not as many as last time I looked? Maybe the drinks here got popular…" Hajime considered, "Besides… all that's left here are those gross brightly colored, overly sweet drinks like Mizuki likes…They look really bad for my health."

"Don't knock 'em til you try 'em." Mizuki told him as she came up from behind, Hajime turning. Least now she was dressed in her normal clothes it seemed…

"Mizuki…? I thought you went off with Mikan…" Hajime noted. Mizuki nodded slightly, looking away.

"I did…but…I want to help again…so I came back." Mizuki replied, "Mikan is telling everyone though, so don't worry…"

"Alright then…Are you sure you're up for this…?" Hajime wondered, remembering how she looked when she came in. Mizuki nodded surely.

"Of course…" She assured him, though Hajime wasn't sure how much he believed her…

"Alright…Well, I've looked at pretty much everything in here, but maybe we should go to the shower room?" Hajime offered, if for no other reason than to get Mizuki away from the dead body. Mizuki nodded, the two of them turning to go inside, but looking at the door first.

"You said that the shower isn't working last time, right Mizuki?" Hajime clarified. Mizuki nodded.

"As far as I can tell at least…Like I said I'm not very current with my English at the moment…" Mizuki apologized. Monomi popped up right then, startling the two of them.

"That's right! The shower is under repair, so there's no water coming out of the faucets…That goes for both hot and cold water. You can't wash your hands or take a shower." Monomi explained.

"A shower room with a broken shower… is pretty much useless, isn't it?" Hajime remarked.

"I…I'm sorry…Just when I thought I'd go and fix it, my Magical Stick was taken away…And now I can't fix it anymore." Monomi whimpered sadly.

"What the hell…? What does your 'Magical Stick' have to do with fixing a shower?" Hajime wondered.

"Anyway, this is Monokuma's fault! Everything's Monokuma's fault!" Monomi asserted, ignoring Hajime's question as he looked at her doubtfully, Mizuki looking at her nervously as well, "Howawa! Why are you looking at me as if you suspect I'm conspiring with Monokuma?!"

"…So we do understand each other." Hajime commented.

"I…I've already accepted that you all don't think much of me, but…But, please let me say one thing! If you all work together, you can overcome any despair! I'm sure of that! It's my job to support you!" Monomi told them, then looking around at them and sighing before she disappeared once more.

"'Support'…? What the hell? If anything, she's doing the opposite…" Hajime muttered.

"…I don't know honestly…" Mizuki sighed, "I feel like she's hiding something…but I don't feel like they're together either…it's confusing…"

"At least now we know for sure the shower doesn't work I guess…but it doesn't hurt to step inside." Hajime told her, Mizuki nodding as they walked inside. The shower room was large honestly, pretty nice, but the first thing Mizuki noticed was Akane, who seemed to have finished looking around for something.

"Hmmm… There was no one in here…I was sure the culprit failed to escape, and was hiding here." Akane sighed.

"It's never that easy…" Hajime remarked sadly, Mizuki nodding in agreement as they went to look, Mizuki first being drawn to the window.

"There's a window over there. It seems pretty big - I think a person could slip through it…" Mizuki pointed out, looking up at it.

"But… the ceiling in this room is very high, and so is that window…" Hajime stated, "I can't even reach it with my hand. It has to be more than 3 meters high. Besides, there are steel bars on that window, which means…Yeah… I don't think anyone could get in or out through there." Mizuki frowned as she looked at it, Akane coming over.

"What? You have your eyes on that window too?" Akane pointed out.

"Yeah… I was wondering if someone couldn't have gotten out through there…" Mizuki muttered, "But Hajime-"

"Right! Got it! I'll make a special effort, just for you!" Akane interrupted.

"…Huh?" Hajime and Mizuki wondered together.

"C'mon! Lift me up on your shoulders so I can check out that window!" Akane instructed. Mizuki blinked.

"What?! I-I can't do that!" Mizuki argued, "And how does that make a 'special effort'? If anything, it's me who's gonna make the effort here!"

"Hurry up or I'll punch you!" Akane threatened. Mizuki whimpered but sighed, stooping down by the window but the second Akane went to get on her to get up high, Mizuki collapsed, groaning.

"Wha-?! Hey, come on! You can do better than that can't you?!" Akane complained.

"I really can't! Don't you remember?! I have a bad knees, bad back, and terrible upper body strength!" Mizuki replied, "P-Please get off of me!" Akane sighed and obliged, Mizuki sitting up and coughing as she leaned against a wall, Akane turning to Hajime.

"Alright, that means you'll have to do it Hajime. Get over here."

"What?! But I-!"

"No buts! Get over here already!" Akane growled, yanking him over and Hajime felt like he had no option but to comply as he stooped over, "Don't worry, my panties are clean!"

"I…I see… I won't worry, then…"

"Here I come!"

It wasn't even a second later before Akane was on his shoulders, reaching up towards the window.

"Ow…! Oof…!" Hajime exclaimed.

"Hey, your balance's all wrong! Try keeping your footing more steady!" Akane criticized.

"Y…You're… heavier than I thought…!" Hajime complained.

"Yeah, it's all the muscle… Whenever I get a massage, I'm told my body's one big muscle lump." Akane agreed.

"You get massages…? Do you have a special trainer? Being an 'Ultimate Gymnast' sure has its perks…"

"Oh, it's not a trainer. It's just that when my stepmom's boyfriend gets drunk, he gives me full-body massages."

"That's nice of him…" Mizuki muttered, messing with her own back as she tried to alleviate the pain.

"I… think that's a subject I should stay far away from." Hajime commented.

"…So, how about that window?" Mizuki wondered, looking up.

"Um… I see. Oh… so that's how it is." Akane muttered as she inspected the window.

"…D…Did you find something?" Hajime wondered as he tried to look up at what she was doing.

"No. I thought no one could get through this window, 'cause of the bars, but…Here, check this out." Akane told him.

"Uh… Wait, I'll try to…" Hajime muttered as he tried harder to see what was going on, bending his neck at a dangerous angle.

"Those bars aren't even fixed in place. You can easily open the window." Akane explained, moving the bars and opening the window, going through, "See? My head goes right through."

"So… Someone really could've entered or left through the window?" Mizuki stated.

"So it seems… Alright, going down!" Akane yelled as she jumped down from his shoulders, flashing a huge grin, "That's one huge discovery, isn't it?"

"I guess, but… Even if you can get through it, how do you get to it in the first place?" Hajime wondered.

"Hmmm… That's a point. I couldn't reach it by jumping, and I'm good at jumping." Akane muttered thoughtfully, "Well, anyone can reach it if they cooperate with someone else, like we did right now!"

"That would make someone a conspirator to the murder." Hajime stated.

"Con…spi…rator? Sounds strong. Is that some kind of Spanish wrestler?" Akane wondered.

"Conspirator is a noun, meaning accomplice, usually specifically someone involved in a conspiracy." Mizuki easily defined from her place on the ground.

"…B…But, even if there was an accomplice, the one who did the lifting would be left behind…" Hajime pointed out.

"There're still ways a single person could do it. There must be!" Akane stated sure of herself.

"…Must there?" Hajime wondered.

"For example…" Akane considered, then looking like a flash of lightning had hit her in the form of an idea, "A ninja! A ninja could do it! This wall's no match for a ninja!"

"…So… it's impossible." Hajime clarified.

"B…But why…? I thought I had such a stroke of genius just then…!" Akane groaned, "That's the attitude I get after I go through all this effort just because you thought that window was suspicious?! Feh… All for nothing! And you even got to see my panties!"

"Wha-?! Mizuki was the really suspicious one…and I didn't look!" Hajime defended.

"Well, whatever. Not like it's a big deal or anything." Akane brushed off.

"I said I didn't look!" Hajime asserted. Mizuki shrugged.

"Don't fret it Hajime…" Mizuki assured him. Hajime sighed.

"Whatever…I don't think there's anything else in here to look at…Mizuki, are you coming?" Hajime wondered.

"I think I'll just stay here for a moment…my back is really killing me from that stunt…" Mizuki groaned, "I'll catch up when I'm back to normal." Hajime nodded and went out, looking around before his eye caught something.

' **The closet's door is half open… That wasn't the case when I came here before.'** Hajime thought to himself as he walked over, **'Something's not right here… I should probably take a look inside.'** Hajime determined, opening the door and walking in. It was a fairly large walk in closet, but it was a complete mess, all sorts of items strewn around on the floor and the shelves were cluttered as well. Because of all that, and the size when compared to the shelves, there was only really enough room for one person to stand…

' **But… thinking about it the other way around…If it's just a single person… they could easily fit in this closet.'** Hajime considered as he kept snooping. The room had a lot of swimming things mostly, water sport items like snorkels, wetsuits, surf boards…but there was some paint lying around as well…he stepped forward to look at it in more detail, but his foot landed on something squishy, drawing back in surprise and looking down at the thing he'd stepped on.

"A yellow gummy? Why is there a single piece of candy in a place like this? Something's not right." Hajime muttered to himself, "Does it have anything to do with the murder…? Maybe someone entered the closet and dropped it?" Hajime decided to remember it, but after that there really wasn't much else to look at in the closet. That meant all that was left to think about was…

"Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery…" Hajime softly breathed out. The similarities in the death here and the one in the game were too similar…He should go talk to Chiaki. He walked outside and over to her.

"Hey, Chiaki… There's something I want to ask you. Do you have a minute?" Hajime requested.

"…Did you finish your investigation here already?" Chiaki wondered.

"…Huh? Yeah, I've done all I can for now, but-" Hajime started.

"So let's go." Chiaki stated.

"G…Go? Go where?"

"You wanted to ask me about 'Twilight', right? I think it's better if you play it yourself. So… let's get going!" Chiaki determined.

"Y…Yeah… Sure…" He agreed. Mizuki walked over just as they were leaving, going to follow them with a smile though she wasn't sure where they were headed. It wasn't long until they reached the park, but when they got there…Nagito was already there, almost like he was waiting.

"Well! If it isn't Hajime, Mizuki, and Chiaki. I'm delighted you're all okay." Nagito chirped.

"N…Nagito?!" Hajime exclaimed.

"Somehow… it feels like it's been such a long time since I last spoke to any of you…But it's only been a few days, though…" Nagito sighed wistfully.

"…Why are you here?" Chiaki wondered, tilting her head.

"Oh… You don't need to worry about a despicable failure such as myself…More importantly, I heard about what happened. Mahiru was killed, wasn't she? That's terrible…She was the life of the party. Always bright, always active…I can't believe she's dead… If only I could've taken her place…" Nagito sighed wistfully, "On the other hand… such a despair-inducing incident will surely give everyone the chance to shine once more! That's right! The darker the despair, the brighter the hope can shine! Ha ha! I mean no disrespect to Mahiru, but… isn't this wonderful! I can't wait to find out how you will all overcome despair this time!" He seemed almost giddy at the thought.

"It doesn't look as though his self-reflection period has helped much…" Chiaki sighed.

"Whatever. Why are you here? Who told you about Mahiru?" Hajime demanded.

"That was me." They heard, turning and looking as Biyuki came over, Mizuki's jaw dropping.

"B-Biyuki?!" Mizuki exclaimed.

"Yeah! I let Nagito-kun go and told him about what Mikan told me." Biyuki told them.

"You…? And why would you do something stupid like that?!" Hajime growled, angrily. Biyuki huffed and crossed her arms at Hajime's aggressiveness.

"Because, Nagito-kun was really good at figuring stuff out last time, right? He found a lot of clues! So, it's smart if I let him go to investigate now too." Biyuki replied.

"He's just as likely to hide evidence for the killer as tell us!" Hajime argued.

"Hey, calm down Ha-" Nagito started.

"Don't you talk to me!" Hajime growled.

"Stop it Hajime." Mizuki requested, looking at him sadly.

"Why?! Aren't you upset!? Or are you just accepting it blindly because it's her?"

"Of course not. I'm just as upset as you are." Mizuki told him sternly.

"Wha-?! Mizuki I thought you agreed that he shouldn't be tied up!" Biyuki stated.

"Yeah, but I lived with it because it stopped the fighting." Mizuki replied, "And you promised me you wouldn't just let him go!" Biyuki crossed her arms and looked away.

"I didn't promise anything…"

"It doesn't matter now though, because it's happened, and arguing about it won't make it go away." Mizuki pointed out, Chiaki nodding in agreement.

"Mizuki's right. We should focus on what we came here for and play the game." Chiaki stated.

"Thank y-Wait, we're here to play the game?" Mizuki questioned.

"Ah, well I just got done playing it to the true ending myself." Nagito told them, "I'm not sure how far I would have gotten by myself…But Yanii has been so kind as to help me along, since she already finished the game and got the true ending herself." Mizuki looked astonished at Biyuki.

"Bi-kun…You played the game?" Mizuki wondered, almost sounding hurt. Biyuki looked at her a bit saddened by her expression but staying strong.

"Yeah, to make sure you weren't in danger Mizuki…But Hajime played it too." Biyuki deflected, Mizuki then turning around to Hajime.

"You played the game too?!"

"W-Well, um…"

"I played it through to the true ending as well." Chiaki spoke up.

"W-Wha…?! So, we say that we shouldn't play the game and the first thing apparently half the people in this group decide to do is sneak off and play it?!" Mizuki complained, "I should have destroyed it like I wanted…"

"It's alright Mizuki, it was necessary to happen to take our next step towards hope over the despair of temptati-"

"Nagito, I think you should leave." Hajime interrupted, Nagito blinking at him then his face falling to a sad smile.

"Alright…I'll do as you ask." Nagito agreed.

"I'm coming with!~" Biyuki chirped happily. Mizuki sighed, but gave her a pat on the shoulder showing that she forgave Biyuki in a small way as Biyuki gave Mizuki a smile.

"Ah, thank you!~ I truly do not deserve your wonderful kindness~" Nagito hummed happily, "We're a little behind the others, but we can go do some investigation ourselves now."

"Whose side are you going to be on? The culprit? Ours?" Chiaki wondered.

"…Do you really have to ask? I'll be on the side I've always been on… the side of hope." Nagito stated simply, Biyuki giving a wistful sigh.

"He's so cool~" Biyuki hummed happily before following him. Hajime sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"…Shit!"

"Hajime… How about we start the game? It should raise your spirits a little." Chiaki suggested.

"…I guess." Hajime agreed reluctantly, "So… I think I should ask first. Is there a way to beat this game?"

"What do you mean?" Mizuki wondered, "All games should be beatable…in some way, right?"

"That's right…You haven't played so you don't know…" Hajime remarked, "Once you play the game, it starts on the second day, then goes to the fourth day, then to the game over screen…" Hajime turned to Chiaki, "If there's a way to get past that, how about you tell me before I start?"

"If you saw the Game Over screen… you already have the key." Chiaki told him.

"…Huh? What do you mean?"

"Want me to tell you? Do you? Do you? There's a secret code!"

"…A what?"

"You've already seen it, too. Don't you remember what was on that Game Over screen?"

"Um… Do you mean…The cryptic message? 'DULL START'?"

"Heh heh. Those aren't words, you see…They're buttons! The message means 'Down-Up-Left-Left-Start'!" Chiaki explained.

"So, to use the code…!" Hajime muttered.

"You should try using that button sequence on the title screen. When you do, you'll get into the game's secret mode." Chiaki told him.

"Wow Chiaki, you're really smart! That kinda thing is what I always get stuck on in games like these…Cryptic messages like that…" Mizuki pouted.

"You really are an 'Ultimate Gamer'." Hajime commented. Chiaki shrugged slightly.

"Being a gamer has nothing to do with it. It's just… you either figure out the hidden message or you don't." Chiaki replied, "It looks like Biyuki got through just fine after all."

"Yeah, Bi-kun is good at stuff like that." Mizuki sighed.

"Anyway! Try it yourself." Chiaki instructed. Hajime nodded, going over to the cabinet and entering the code as the other two were gathered around him. That was when the screen changed.

"Hey, the screen changed…" Hajime muttered.

"That's the secret mode… Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery's 'Truth mode'." Chiaki stated.

"So, if this is supposed to be the missing days…What happened on days two and four?" Mizuki wondered.

"That's right, you didn't play…" Chiaki muttered before starting to explain days 2 and 4 as Hajime pressed the start button. The screen changed, listing out a story.

 **It began with a murder.**

 **A ghastly murder, right there in the girls' school.**

 **After investigating, the police decided it was the work of a pervert who broke into the school. But there was a secret behind this incident.**

 **The suspect was believed to be the first one to discover the body. But a group of students discovered it before that.**

 **It was a group of five girls.**

 **Not wanting to get involved with the incident, the girls kept it to themselves. But, tragedy soon came visiting.**

 **A few days after the incident…Girl E, one of the five girls, was killed by an unknown assailant.**

 **What happened in that school?**

 **What disrupted the peace?**

 **By playing the missing first and third days you should be able to answer this mystery. Every truth is hidden in this "Truth Mode". Can you reveal them?**

 **Let's start on the First day.**

And with that the screen read: 'First Day' before opening up on Girls B, C, and D waiting near the exit of the school when Girl A ran up.

 **Girl A: I…I'm sorry…! I'm really sorry for making you wait!**

 **Girl B: Sigh… we're gonna be late getting home because of you, you dimwit.**

 **Girl D: Now, now… You shouldn't get so upset, Girl B!**

 ***Flash***

 **Girl B: Hey! Don't just take our picture! People are gonna think I'm friends with her!**

 **Girl A: W…We're not friends?!**

 **Girl B: What makes you think I'll ever be friends with a stupid pig trash girl like you?**

 **Girl C: Ha! Girl B's abuse would turn even the fiercest loan sharks' faces pale!**

 **Girl A: Um… By the way, isn't Girl E here yet?**

 **Girl C: She said she forgot something and should be back here any second!**

 **Girl D: Something about her swimsuit being missing, I think…**

 **Girl B: Her swimsuit, huh…? You don't think it's been stolen, do you?**

 **Girl A: S…Stolen?!**

 **Girl B: Didn't you hear? There's been some kind of pervert hanging around this neighborhood lately…Hee hee hee… You'd better watch out, Girl A. These guys can smell weakness…**

 **Girl D: Hey, give her a break, already… You're going to scare her for real.**

 **Girl B: Ha ha! But Girl A's just asking for it!**

 ***crash***

The girls on screen turned towards the source of the nose.

 **Girl D: W…What was that noise?!**

 **Girl B: It sounded like… glass breaking? It came from the second floor! Let's go look!**

All of the girls besides Girl A ran off screen, Hajime taking up his controls and guiding Girl A in that direction then up the stairs. When they got up there, Girl E was standing in front of the music room, panting, then the girls all ran onto the screen.

 **Girl E: Pant… pant… pant…**

 **Girl A: Girl E! W….What happened?!**

 **Girl E: I…I don't know… I was just walking past the music room here…And then I heard the sound of glass breaking inside…**

 **Girl C: Is there… someone inside?**

 **Girl E: I think so… but the door's locked and I can't get in.**

Girl B ran over to the door, trying to open it to no avail.

 **Girl B: She's right. It won't open.**

 **Girl C: Did someone lock the door from inside?! There is someone in there!**

 **Girl E: Um… there should be a key in the staff room… We'll be able to get in if we use that, won't we?**

 **Girl D: Right! I'll go get the music room key! The teachers are probably all gone by now, so I can probably sneak in and grab it…I… I have a bad feeling about all this!**

The screen went dark, then came back up on all of the girls waiting on Girl D before she ran back onto the screen.

 **Girl D: Here's the key! Just like I thought, the teachers were all gone…**

 **Girl C: Let's open it!**

Girl D walked to the door and unlocked the door with a click.

 **Girl D: Done.**

 **Girl B: …After you, Girl A!**

 **Girl A: Huh? M…Me?!**

 **Girl B: C'mon, hurry up!**

Girl B pushed Girl A towards the door, her walking towards it and with a rattle, all of them walking in, then Hajime controlling Girl A to walk to the other side of the room.

 **Girl A: T…There's someone on the floor…**

 **Girl B: S…She's not just on the floor…She's dead.**

 **Girl D: D…Dead?!**

 **Girl E: H…How…? W…Why…?**

 **Girl A: KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!**

 **Girl B: D…Don't be so loud! Whoever did it is probably still around!**

 **Girl E: S…Still around…?**

 **Girl B: I mean… it looks like she's been killed.**

 **Girl C: Killed…? KILLED?!**

 **Girl B: I said stay quiet! What are you going to do if the killer finds us!**

 **Girl D: W…What should we do…?**

 **Girl B: …I see… So that's how it is. I think I have it. The culprit's escape route, I mean.**

 **Girl A: (Escape route…? Does she mean…?)**

Hajime controlled Girl A, walking her to the obviously broken window.

 **Girl A: Ah! The window is broken…!**

 **Girl B: The sound we heard from outside was this window being broken. I'm sure the culprit locked the music room's door from the inside and then, after killing this girl…He broke this window and escaped through it. It seems she's been clubbed to death, but there's nothing around with blood on it…So, what happened to the murder weapon? Did the culprit take it with him?**

 **Girl C: More importantly… doesn't that mean the culprit just escaped through this window?!**

 **Girl A: But… if he wanted to escape he could've just opened the window… Why break it?**

 **Girl E: H…He must've panicked… Look, there's proof…The aquarium under the window is broken, and there's gravel all around…He must've been in such a panic that he broke it while escaping.**

 **Girl E: This floor isn't so high that you can't jump down, so he must've thought it would be safer than escaping through the corridor…**

 **Girl A: B…But… is that really what happened…?**

 **Girl B: Of course that's what happened! The only two ways to lock this room are from the inside or with the key from the staff room, right?**

 **Girl D: I see! When I went to the staff room earlier, the key was there as usual…**

 **Girl B: If the culprit had used that key, he wouldn't have time to return it to the staff room so quickly. We just heard him breaking the window moments before, after all.**

 **Girl C: Which means the culprit locked the room from inside… and was still there.**

 **Girl B: Besides, the only way from the music room to the exit is through the corridor we were in…But we didn't see anyone passing by. Seems it all leads to the same conclusion. The culprit escaped through the window.**

 **Girl E: I…It's got to be that pervert… He must've broken into the school.**

 **Girl A: …Huh?**

 **Girl E: I…I couldn't find it anywhere. My swimsuit. It must've been stolen.**

 **Girl C: So… the pervert who stole Girl E's swimsuit killed this girl?!**

 **Girl B: He… probably took her into the music room to… you know. But she must've resisted…**

 **Girl A: And then he panicked, broke the window and escaped?**

 **Girl E: A…Anyway… isn't it bad that we're all here? I don't want to get involved in any of this… Besides, the culprit is probably still around…**

 **Girl C: That's bad! Bad bad bad! Let's run away!**

And without even waiting for the other's response, Girl C ran off screen and probably out of the room.

 **Girl A: B…But… shouldn't we report this to the police?**

 **Girl E: Don't you realize what will happen if we do? Aren't the people who discover crime scenes always under suspicion? I don't want any of that!**

Girl E ran off screen with that.

 **Girl B: Yeah… Let's leave and lock the door behind us… We'll just pretend we've never been here.**

With that, Girl B casually walked off screen.

 **Girl A: W…Wait! Don't leave me behind!**

Girl A ran off after her.

 **Girl D: …**

The screen went to black then changed, loading then reading 'The Third Day'. It seemed to be outside behind the school, with Girl D standing on screen.

 **Girl E: Girl D!**

And then after shouting at her from off screen, Girl E ran up to Girl D.

 **Girl E: I'm sorry, were you waiting long? So, why did you call me over here? Don't tell me - you're going to confess your love to me?**

 **Girl D: …**

 **Girl E: Huh…? Is something wrong?**

 **Girl D: Um… Can you take a look at this photo…?**

The screen changed to show a photo of flowers laying on the floor, glass shattered around them.

 **Girl D: On the day of that incident… I peeked into the classroom next door and found this. I took a photo without even thinking…What do you think this broken flower vase means?**

 **Girl E: …**

The screen changed back to the two girls.

 **Girl D: That sound we heard… I don't think it was the window breaking…**

 **Girl E: W…What is this…? I have no idea what you're talking about…!**

 **Girl D: If I'm right… the culprit didn't escape through the window.**

 **Girl E: I…I said I know nothing!**

 **Girl D: …It's okay. I cleaned it all up…**

 **Girl E: …Huh?**

 **Girl D: If someone found that vase… you'd be in big trouble, wouldn't you?**

 **Girl E: Are you… blackmailing me?**

 **Girl D: O…Of course not… It's just that… if there's something you're hiding, I wish you'd tell me. I mean… aren't we friends?**

 **Girl E: You're one to talk. You weren't exactly being forthcoming yourself, were you…? You think I didn't know? That girl who was killed had been giving you trouble…**

 **Girl D:** **Huh…?**

 **Girl E: No… "trouble" doesn't even begin to say it. She was really giving you hell… She just kept pushing you. She was your junior at the photography club in junior high, wasn't she? She must've been so jealous of your talent…Why didn't you tell me? If you did… this wouldn't have…**

 **Girl D: Girl E… Did you…?!**

 **Girl E: Her parents are powerful, so she always did what she wanted…I couldn't stand it anymore! At first, I just tried to talk to her…But then, she… She said she was going to go after me too…I got angry… and before I knew it, I was strangling her…She lost consciousness… And I knew that if she woke up things would just get even worse…So I thought I had to do something…!**

Girl D backed up on the screen, looking scared.

 **Girl D: N…No way…!**

 **Girl E: It's not your fault, Girl D… And it isn't mine…It's all her fault! All of it!**

Girl E ran off screen after that.

 **Girl D: Ah! Girl E!**

Girl D just stood there, the screen changing to a dumpster as Girl E ran up to it and threw the photo inside, before running away. The screen didn't change though, instead a boy walking up into the screen, turning and looking after her.

 **Guy F: That girl… I think her name's Girl E…? I heard a rumor she was with her on the day of the incident…**

He turned to the dumpster, going over to it and picking up the photo.

 **Guy F: Looks like she threw something in here… What is it? A photo? A broken flower vase…? …Does that mean… that the sound of breaking glass…? That must be it… why would anyone try to get rid of this photo otherwise…?**

He turned away from the dumpster, looking towards where Girl E ran.

 **Guy F: What did that girl… do to my sister?! I have to make her talk… And if what I'm suspecting is true…**

The screen went dark.

 **Guy F: I'll never…**

 **Guy F: I'LL NEVER FORGIVE HER!**

And with that, a Game Clear screen with Monokuma flashed onto the screen.

"Is this… the real ending?" Hajime asked hesitantly.

"Yeah. The events of the first and third days are this game's 'truth' route." Chiaki confirmed, "You've now seen the game's full story, across all four days…" Mizuki was silent, staring at the screen with a small frown, holding each arm by the elbow as she looked at it, trembling slightly every now and then.

"So… what do you think about those characters, Chiaki?" Hajime wondered, though he was a little worried about Mizuki.

"Girl A and the rest…? Whoever named these characters doesn't have an ounce of romantic sense." Chiaki stated.

"That's not what I mean…" Hajime sighed.

"Before you say anything else… it looks like the ending credits are coming up." Chiaki warned.

"…The what?" Hajime wondered.

"You'll find what you're searching for if you read them. …Probably." Chiaki told him, turning back to watch the credits with Mizuki.

 **Producer: Monokuma**

 **Director: Monokuma**

 **Supervisor: Monokuma**

 **Script: Monokuma**

 **Programming: Monokuma**

 **Graphics: Monokuma**

 **Sound: Monokuma**

 **Cast: Tsumiki / Koizumi / Saionji / Mioda / Satou / Kuzuryuu / Kuzuryuu**

 **A Monokuma Production**

"J…Just now…!" Hajime exclaimed.

"I told you, didn't I? What you're searching for was right there." Chiaki commented.

"Congratulations! What a miraculous victory!" Monokuma congratulated, appearing out of nowhere as usual, "At long last, you've completed Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery! I don't think you guys could've missed it, but to make things perfectly clear…This game was non-fiction! It's based on true events!"

"Are you… telling the truth?" Hajime questioned.

"Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely deliberate!"

"Hey, answer my question…!"

"That said, this game may be non-fiction, but you guys have still forgotten all about it. Well, that can't be helped. The game's story is based on something that happened when you bastards were at school, and those memories have been stolen from you!" Monokuma chuckled.

"When we were at school…" Hajime trailed off.

"Anyway, congratulations! I'd like to present you with a prize for completing the game…But I won't!" Monokuma chuckled, "There's only one prize, and I've already given it to the first person to complete this game! Upupu, sucks to be you!" And with that, he'd disappeared once more.

"There's a prize for winning the game?" Hajime questioned.

"He told me the same thing when I completed the game." Chiaki informed him, "Sigh… I was too late. I should've played it sooner."

"Well, the problem isn't the prize. It's the other thing Monokuma said…He said it's a story based on something that happened when we were at school…" Hajime trailed off.

"You seem to be… lost in thought, Hajime." Chiaki remarked.

"…Huh?"

"I'm sure Monokuma told the same thing to everyone who completed the game.…That this game is non-fiction. It means that "missing link" he was talking about is somewhere in those missing school memories." Chiaki explained.

"…Hey, do you believe any of it? Do you really think… our memories have been taken away?" Hinata questioned.

"I don't know. But, rather than worrying about that, I think we should concentrate on solving the current mystery. It doesn't matter if we believe this motive or not. The facts are that a culprit did commit murder." Chiaki replied.

"What about you Mizuki?" Hajime wondered, Mizuki still staring at the screen, "…Mizuki?" Mizuki looked over her shoulder.

"Hmm?"

"…Are you okay?"

"…" Mizuki was silent as she looked forward again, taking a moment before turning with a bright smile, "Yeah, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me Hajime!~"

"If you're sure…In any case… it looks like I really need to talk to all of them. I'll probably learn something if I do." Hajime reasoned.

"You mean, the people who this game's characters are based on, right? I'm coming with you, then." Chiaki determined, "Come on, let's go, right now. This is my opportunity to ask someone what it feels like to be a character in a video game!" And with that, Chiaki walked off, Hajime watching after and chuckling for a moment, walking behind her, noticing the hesitant Mizuki.

"…You coming?" He wondered.

"…Yeah, sorry." Mizuki stated, coming over to them. It was barely a moment before they ran into Nagito again, Biyuki close by as she hummed.

"Oh, if it isn't Hajime, Chiaki, and Mizuki. Fancy running into you three again." Nagito commented.

"Your timing's a bit suspect… You sure you weren't just standing here waiting for us?" Hajime questioned.

"…Am I that transparent? But, don't you think it would be better to work together? I mean, if you finished that game you must think the same way I do." Nagito suggested, then turning "No… How can I be so vain? It's too much to expect I can reach the same conclusions as you guys do…"

"…Whatever. What do you want?" Hajime questioned.

"Remember the airport on the first island? I told everyone to gather over there." Nagito stated.

"…Who's 'everyone'?" Mizuki wondered.

"The people appearing in 'Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery', of course. With everyone busy investigating, it would take too much time to run around asking everyone the same questions." Nagito hummed, "So, if you want to question them, come with me. I'll be over there waiting." Nagito turned and left.

"I hope I see you there guys!~ Wait for me Nagito-kun!~" Biyuki chirped as she followed him happily.

"…What should we do?" Hajime wondered.

"Hmmm… It's not like we really have a choice, do we?" Chiaki questioned.

"We could leave him and Bi-kun to talk to them, but I doubt that'll end well." Mizuki replied with a sigh.

"…Yeah, I guess you're right." Hajime agreed. So they all ran off to the airport.

"Hey, Hajime! I'm over here!" Nagito called as they walked inside. They saw Mikan, Ibuki, Fuyuhiko, and Hiyoko already standing there. Nagito came over with a smile, Biyuki following.

"The names in Twilight Syndrome's credits were…Tsumiki, Koizumi, Saionji, Mioda, Satou and Kuzuryuu." Nagito recalled, "I almost didn't get Fuyuhiko to come…but Biyuki managed to get him to come." Biyuki smiled.

"I broke open his door and drug him out by force!~" Biyuki chirped, "Then I told him if he left I would have to tie him up next time!"

"Hang on a second! You told us we'd be executed if we didn't!" Hiyoko stated.

"…He told you what?!" Hajime exclaimed.

"He… He said Monokuma had something very very important to tell us… T…That's why I'm here…" Mikan stuttered out.

"I'm sorry! I was lying!" Nagito confessed.

"Whaaaaaaaat?! Lying?!" Mikan exclaimed.

"Gahgahgahgahgah… We've been had!" Ibuki yelled.

"W…What the…?! T…That's it! I'm leaving!" Hiyoko exclaimed.

"Don't you think you should at least wait until you hear what we have to say? Come on, Hajime, help me out here." Nagito whined. Hajime frowned, not liking that Nagito was acting so friendly but he needed to talk to them anyways.

"T…That's low…! You can't just go and deceive people like that…!" Hiyoko complained, "There's nothing I have to say to uncultured smart-asses like you!" She huffed and went to leave, but Biyuki stood at the door, twirling her knife and Hiyoko decided not to actually leave, though Hajime decided to wait to tackle her, so they went over to Ibuki next.

"Hey, Ibuki… Can I ask you a few questions?"

"Give me all you've got!" Ibuki yelled.

"…Did you play 'Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery'?" Hajime questioned.

"Nope! That's, like, to do with computers, right? Ibuki's no good at any of that stuff!" Ibuki hummed, "Ibuki's a hardliner! She doesn't touch anything electric other than electric guitars!"

' **That might be a slight exaggeration, but… now's not a time for nitpicking.'** Hajime thought to himself, **'Ibuki has a very… unique… speaking style. There was a character in the game who reminded me a lot of her.'**

"I have one more question. What was your relationship with Mahiru?" Hajime questioned, Mizuki tensing slightly at the mention of her name out of the corner of his eye.

"Huh? Do you mean that in a dirty way?" Ibuki questioned.

"No. I think you know exactly what I mean."

"Hmmm… Ibuki and Mahiru-chan's together-time, huh?" Ibuki thought, "Oh! This morning, when Ibuki invited Mahiru-chan to the beach party, she looked totally down!"

"…Down? In what way?" Hajime wondered.

"Hmmm… There are a lot of ways to interpret the word 'down', aren't there? It usually makes Ibuki think of a department store roof…"

"Can we please get back to Mahiru?" Hajime requested.

"Ibuki thinks… that Mahiru-chan wanted to talk to Ibuki about something. She said she wanted to get us all together, but that Ibuki-chan probably wouldn't come because of the other plans…"

"Um… did she say exactly who she wanted to get together?"

"No, that's as far as Ibuki heard."

"I see…" Hajime muttered thoughtfully, turning next to Fuyuhiko.

"Fuyuhiko, could I ask you some qu-?" Hajime wondered, Fuyuhiko turning towards them and going red when he saw Mizuki.

"WHAT IS SHE DOING HERE?!" Fuyuhiko yelped. Mizuki blinked.

"I'm helping." Mizuki told him.

"I-I DON'T WANNA TALK TO Y-YOU!" Fuyuhiko stuttered, turning around adamantly.

"…Mizuki…do you mind…?" Hajime requested. Mizuki sighed but nodded, going and walking to wait outside, "Fuyuhiko, will you talk to me now?"

"…J-Just for a moment…But don't go too fuckin far!" Fuyuhiko told him angrily.

"…You've been really on edge today…Is it because of yesterday?" Hajime wondered. Fuyuhiko blushed again.

"I-I thought I said that never happened you dumbass!" Fuyuhiko hissed lowly.

"…She said you kissed her, is it true?" Hajime wondered. Fuyuhiko looked away, gritting his teeth.

"…I don't…I don't know what the fuck got into me…" Fuyuhiko grumbled, "…I thought…It was cause she caught me by surprise…that I couldn't get it out of my head…So I decided to kiss her, just really quick again, on my OWN terms! To get it out of my system…"

"It didn't look quick to me…" Hajime muttered, Fuyuhiko turning red and grabbing his collar, yanking him over.

"You want a fuckin busted skull?!" Fuyuhiko growled, "I-I don't know what happened, alright?! One second, I was just kissing her to get it out of my system, and the next…I don't know what happened! I started to feel so hot…I…" Fuyuhiko flushed and looked away, his grip slackening slightly as he moved one hand to cover his mouth, "…I would NEVER do something like that normally…" It was really obvious at this point that he was very embarrassed and flustered over his own actions.

"…Hmm…At some point after this is all over, I should really ask Mizuki about all that stuff she was saying…especially with all this." Hajime muttered to himself, though it seemed Fuyuhiko heard him.

"Stuff? What stuff?" Fuyuhiko questioned, giving him a serious look. Hajime gave a nervous smile.

"I don't know if I should-"

"SPILL IT." Fuyuhiko growled, knitting his brows together.

"…After the first time she kissed you, she was saying stuff about how she was in your bloodstream now and you wouldn't be able to resist going back…" Hajime admitted, "About needing to resist going for the second one, because what seemed like the quick cure only making it worse…? She was being confusing…And after that second one when I was trying to ask what happened, she told me you kissed her while she was going to get a snack and then said you were infected…" Hajime hesitantly looked to Fuyuhiko, whose eyes were wide and blinking before he dropped his collar and backed up.

"…I have to get out of here…using a BACK way." Fuyuhiko said, running off before Hajime could stop him.

"WAIT I-! Ugh…I had questions about Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery…." Hajime grumbled. He turned to talk to Mikan since she was the last person left.

"Hey, do you have a minute? There are some things I want to ask you." Hajime requested, Mikan turning to him nervously as after his last attempt he wanted to get straight to the point, "Did you play 'Twilight Syndrome Murder Mystery'?" Mikan shook her head timidly.

"N…No… Everyone said we shouldn't… Besides, I'm not good with games." Mikan muttered, looking away, "I'm just very glad Yanii and Chiaki let me play with them sometimes, but…usually I'm too slow… And I lose before I know what's happening…" Hajime nodded slightly.

' **The way she speaks… Her timidness… It's just like the game's protagonist, Girl A.'** Hajime thought to himself.

"By the way… Can we ask about your relationship with Mahiru, Mikan?" Chiaki requested, speaking up for the first time.

"R…Relationship…? Me and Mahiru…? I…I met her for the first time… when we were all in that classroom together…And then, after we came to the island… She talked to me several times, but…" Mikan thought about it then looked like she had an idea, "O…Oh! Do you think… do you think Mahiru hated me?! Sniff… Of course she did… She hated me…" Mikan sniffled as she wiped her eyes. Mizuki peaked back in to see how everything was going—Fuyuhiko running past and away in the distance while her back was turned—and came over to try and console Mikan immediately when she saw the other was crying.

' **She doesn't seem to know anything… Or maybe I should say, she doesn't seem to remember anything.'** Hajime decided.

"But… even though she hated me she asked me to come to her gathering… She really was a kind person, wasn't she..?" Mikan considered as Mizuki comforted her.

"…Hm? Gathering?"

"U…Um… This morning, Mahiru came by to invite me…"

"…This morning?"

"S…She had a serious expression on her face… She said she had something to discuss so she was getting some people together…B…But… I had already said I'd go to the beach party… and I had to prepare myself before that event… so I had to refuse." Mikan stuttered out, "When I did… she looked at me with such sad eyes…Maybe… maybe if I had gone with her… things wouldn't have ended up the way they did…Waaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Mizuki hugged her close, rubbing her back as Mikan cried.

' **What could Mahiru have been planning?'** Hajime thought to himself.

"I see… We've gathered some important testimonies here. As far as I can tell…Mahiru must have completed that game too." Nagito deduced.

"Why… do you think that?" Hajime wondered.

"If she hadn't, she wouldn't have picked these people to invite to her gathering. But she did finish the game, and so came visiting the people who appear in it.…She did the exact same thing we've just done." Nagito reasoned.

"Nagito-kun is so smart~" Biyuki cooed.

"Oh, Hardly…" Nagito replied with a small chuckle, "You're much smarter Yanii-kun~"

"Yanii-kun…?" Mizuki puzzled, her eyebrows knit as the two looked at each other with admiring smiles.

"…But, she had a much more serious reason for doing so… I think. I mean, she'd just finished the game… and found out she was in it." Chiaki reasoned.

"Yeah, you're right…" Hajime agreed.

"But, something's weird here, isn't it? Why would Mahiru play the game in the first place?" Chiaki wondered.

"Yeah, it's not like her at all…" Hajime muttered.

"…You talked her into it, didn't you, Nagito?" Mizuki accused.

"…Huh? Me?" Nagito questioned.

"I remember what you said back then…" Mizuki muttered, "About Mahiru…how you knew she had something to do…"

"You did, didn't you? You tricked her just like you tried to trick me…" Hajime stated.

"That's not a very nice way to describe it. 'Tricked', I mean." Nagito replied simply.

"Plus you played it so if we were saying Nagito tricked her he totally tricked you too." Biyuki pointed out.

"How can you be so rude to Mahiru?!" Nagito demanded, getting offended, "A man as incompetent as me doesn't have nearly the level of cunning needed to make her change her mind. She already intended to play the game at that point. All I did was… give her a little push.…That's all it was!"

"W…What the hell…?!" Hajime exclaimed.

"A little push?! She didn't need any pushing! Little or otherwise!" Mizuki argued.

"Hey, more importantly… Shouldn't we hear her story as well? She's just been standing there, all quiet…" Nagito pointed out, "So, what do you have to say…Hiyoko?" Hiyoko was silent, "If Mahiru tried to gather everyone who appeared in the game, she must have come to you as well, didn't she?" Hiyoko still didn't say a word.

"Is that right, Hiyoko?" Hajime wondered, not wanting to feed into Nagito but not wanting to miss his opportunity to learn more.

"Kyahahaha! She didn't! She never did! Well, this sure is shocking! I never thought you'd ask such a simple question! …So, that's it from me! Bye-bye!" Hiyoko told them before turning and leaving without another word.

"Ah! Hey, Hiyoko! Wait!" Mizuki called, but Hiyoko didn't listen as she walked straight out.

"Do you want me to go and get her Nagito-kun?" Biyuki suggested, giving a smile.

"No, I think we'll be fine…Her running away says enough." Nagito replied, "She ran away… I don't think there's any question about that. She's pretty clearly suspicious, isn't she? I think that settles things."

"I'm not so sure…"Hajime muttered.

"In any case, it seems our job here is done. Time to part our ways. There are some… other avenues I have to explore. See you guys later." Nagito told them, going and turning to walk away.

"Wait up!" Biyuki called, starting to get a little miffed that he kept walking off without her, but walking after him anyways.

"Hey! Wait you two!" Hajime called, but neither listened.

"So what's our next move, Chiaki? Should we go back to the crime scene for another look?" Mizuki wondered.

"It's important to investigate the crime scene thoroughly, but I thought I'd go look in Mahiru's cottage before we do that." Chiaki told her.

"…Her cottage? Why?" Hajime wondered.

"If she completed that game, we should check out her room… That's what I think." Chiaki replied simply, "Perhaps… she's the one who got it."

"Oh… you mean the prize from Monokuma…" Hajime replied, "In that case, I'm coming with you. You don't mind, do you?"

"…No…"

"That was a little… hesitant."

"May I come too?" Mizuki wondered, Chiaki nodding and the three of them leaving towards Koizumi's cottage. When they got there, unlike the last time, Mahiru's door had been unlocked. That's when Monokuma showed up.

"It's lame to do things only after you're told to, so I went and unlocked the door ahead of time!" Monokuma told them, "But, you're forbidden from taking anything out of this room! What if someone else wants to investigate this room later?" And with no other input from them he left. They were silent for a moment.

"…Anyway, let's go inside." Chiaki suggested, all of them nodding and walking in. It was a nice cottage, and it smelt nice.

"It feels… lived in. You can tell Mahiru lived here…" Mizuki commented.

'But… she's never going to come back…' Hajime thought.

"…Let's get to it…There must be some erotic magazines hidden in here somewhere!" Chiaki declared.

"…What the hell?!" Hajime exclaimed.

"It was just a joke." Chiaki told him.

"A joke…? But you've never said anything like that before…" Hajime muttered.

"I think it's pretty funny." Mizuki chuckled.

"It seems we don't even have to search. Look, it's right here on the bed." Chiaki commented.

"…On the bed?" Hajime questioned.

"You mean the prize right, not erotic magazines?" Mizuki wondered, raising a brow with a small smirk. There was an envelope on the bed.

"Perhaps… this is what Monokuma was talking about. That prize that was given to the first person to complete the game…Shall we take a look inside?" Chiaki wondered.

"Yeah… I guess we have to." He agreed, turning over the envelope and letting the contents drop out…it seemed to be several photos. The first one seemed to be of Mikan, Ibuki, and Hiyoko in some sort of entrance hall.

"It's… just like in the game…" Mizuki muttered.

"Yes. It happened on the first day in Twilight's Truth Mode. Girl B was annoyed because Girl A was late, and Girl D tried to calm them down by taking a photo…" Chiaki agreed.

"Is that… the real picture from back then?" Hajime wondered, then picking up the next one.

"A broken flower vase…?" Hajime noted.

"That… must be the same photo Girl D showed Girl E on the third day, right?" Chiaki determined.

"Yeah… a photo of a broken flower vase from the classroom next to the music room." Hajime agreed. Mizuki squirmed slightly at the photo, looking away.

"But… this one… is worse…" Chiaki muttered, handing Hajime a photo. The second he laid eyes on it, he was speechless. It was a photo of a dead body, a real one, with a piano in the background.

"It's a photo of… a real dead body. There's a piano in the background, so this must be the music room. Which means…It's a photo of the first victim, isn't it?" Chiaki decided.

"The victim of the incident on the first day?"

"Yeah… The one that was blamed on a pervert."

"There's just one more. This photo is the last." Chiaki assured them, handing it over. It was another dead body, almost identical to the one in the game…

"It has to be Girl E…After she was killed on the fourth day…" Hajime muttered, "There are no more photos."

"So, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Chiaki questioned.

"Yeah, I don't think there's any question. This was the prize for completing the game." Hajime agreed.

"Yeah, it must be. And those photos prove it…They prove that the murders in Twilight Syndrome all occurred in the real world." Chiaki decided.

"And… if that's true… then the story about our memories being stolen must be true as well." Hajime stated. Hajime looked over to Mizuki, who had been quiet for quite some time.

"…Mizuki? Are you okay?" Hajime wondered. Mizuki slowly nodded, but didn't look at him, didn't smile. Hajime wanted to say something but was interrupted by Chiaki.

"…Huh? What's this?" Chiaki questioned, Hajime turning.

"Is there something else in there?"

"Take a look. There was a note inside the envelope…"

 **Go play Twilight.**

 **When you get a Game Over screen, just push Down-Up-Left-Left-Start to get to the secret mode.**

 **When you do, I'm sure you'll remember. You'll remember what you bastards did to my sister.**

 **We'll talk later.**

"Perhaps… the one who completed the game first and got the prize…Perhaps it wasn't Mahiru after all." Chiaki suggested.

"It was whoever sent this to Mahiru…" Hajime deduced, "Whoever that is was the one Monokuma gave the prize to. So, Mahiru wasn't tricked by Nagito after all… She got this envelope, and…"

"…And she went and played the game." Mizuki finished quietly.

"In that case, the person who completed the game first…" Chiaki started, "…Is the one who received this envelope." Mizuki looked at Mahiru's photo boards.

"…We look so happy…" Mizuki muttered softly, giving a small smile. Hajime put a hand on her shoulder.

"…Do you need a second?"

"No, no…don't let me hold ya back. Let's get going." Mizuki told him, the three turning and leaving only to immediately run into Nagito and Biyuki again.

"Well, this sure is unexpected. I guess third time's the charm, isn't it, Hajime, Mizuki, and Chiaki?" Nagito chuckled.

"You're stalking us, aren't you?" Hajime questioned.

"Oh, don't say that… I simply had a breakthrough in my investigation, so I thought I'd come let you know." Nagito offered with a smile.

"A breakthrough…? Did you discover something new?" Hajime wondered.

"I'll tell you if you kneel down and lick my shoes." Nagito stated with a slightly snooty look.

"…Huh?"

"…Oh, don't take me seriously. I'm just joking." Nagito chuckled. Hajime frowned and rolled his eyes.

'He sure didn't… sound like he was joking.' Hajime thought to himself.

"It's the footprints, you see. You remember, right? The culprit left their footprints just outside the beach house." Nagito told them.

"Did you find out whose footprints they are?!" Hajime demanded.

"If you want to know, I recommend that you come back with me to the beach house." Nagito suggested.

"Why…?"

"You won't miss it, will you?" Hajime frowned, but wanted the clue.

"…What do you think, Chiaki?" Hajime wondered.

"… I think I'll go visit Fuyuhiko. I'll ask him to tell me his story…since he didn't really tell us anything before." Chiaki told him, "So, I'll leave the beach house to you."

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea." Nagito agreed, "Just be careful. He may turn violent." Chiaki gave a small nod.

"What about you Mizuki?" Hajime asked.

"…Well, Fuyuhiko obviously doesn't want to see me." Mizuki chuckled slightly, "I guess I'll come with you."

"…So, this is where we part, Hajime, Mizuki…. See you later." And with that, Chiaki left.

"Oh? Oh! Of course! You wanted to keep hanging out with her, didn't you?" Nagito stated, smiling at Hajime.

"What do you mean of course…?"

"Let's go. I'll be waiting in the beach house, so don't dally." Nagito told them, walking off. This time, Biyuki didn't follow.

"…Bi-kun? Aren't ya gonna go with Nagito?" Mizuki questioned. Biyuki shook her head.

"Nah…He's starting to take my presence for granted. I'll hang with you guys for a while!~" Biyuki asserted, giving a nod, "After all, I haven't spent a lot of time with you today Mizu-kun." Mizuki smiled and gave a nod.

"Sounds good." Mizuki replied, giving an almost relieved smile. As they went to the Beach House, Biyuki stopped them.

"Before we go to the beach house, let's make a quick detour." Biyuki suggested, pointing to the library, "I know he said not to dally, but making him wait a moment might usurp the snotty attitude he's starting to develop." Hajime gave a nod, not really wanting to be at Nagito's beck and call either. Mizuki smiled and gave a nod as they went into the library. Immediately, Nekomaru saw them and came over.

"Hajime…Yanii…Mizuki… How is your investigation proceeding?" Nekomaru questioned.

"It could've been better, I guess." Hajime told him.

'Nekomaru and the library… don't really fit together. Not that it really matters…' Hajime thought to himself.

"I can't believe such a thing happened again… What did Mahiru do to deserve this?! The least we can do for her is expose the culprit and bring them to justice." Nekomaru decided, then remembering something, "…Oh, that's right. Sonia passed by here just now…She seemed very excited… She was going on and on about some kind of a 'scoop'… and then she went back to the beach house."

"She did?" Biyuki asked, tilting her head.

"Sounds like she found what she was looking for, about that mask we found next to the body." Hajime suggested. They decided that was enough to get them headed towards the beach house again, but on the way they saw Gundham there.

"You are late." Gundham muttered, stopping them.

"Huh?" Hajime questioned, Biyuki smiling brightly when she saw him.

"I foresaw your arrival…There is nothing you can hide from me. I am a king-to-be! I have conquered the Four Dark Gods of Destruction themselves!" Gundham asserted, "I know all. Allow me to demonstrate…I know that you conspired to indulge in an infantile beach party…! However…All I require is silence and callousness…That's right. That is enough for me…" Gundham looked away at that, Hajime and Mizuki staring at him.

'He really wanted us to invite him, didn't he…?' Hajime thought to himself.

"I wasn't gonna go to the beach party either, I wish I had known you didn't have plans, we could have done something cool!" Biyuki decided, "I could have read some demonic script with you and the Four Dark Devas of Destruction!" Gundham looked over to her and gave a nod.

"That would have been…acceptable…you have a high level of demonic power, for a mortal, but it lies untapped." Gundham told her, "I would thrill in such an endeavor as training you!"

"I would love to be trained by you Gundham-kun!~" Biyuki chirped happily.

"…Hey, Gundham, would you like to come along with us?" Mizuki offered. Hajime gave her a side glance and she gave him a glance back. From the look Hajime inferred that she was trying to tell him:

'I would much rather her stick to Gundham than Nagito.'

"…Yeah, it would be nice to have you along." Hajime agreed with a nod.

"Hmm, you mere mortals beg for my assistance…" Gundham muttered.

"Please Gundham?~" Biyuki asked, using her best puppy-dog eyes. Gundham found himself blushing a bit, pulling up his scarf to hide his face as he looked away.

"…We shall lend our hand in your endeavor then. Lead the way." Gundham agreed, them nodding and walking towards the beach house once more. Nagito looked to them, seeming a tad annoyed at first that they had taken so long, but then surprised at Gundham's presence, and how close Biyuki was to him.

"…Let's go inside, shall we?" Nagito suggested, not saying a word on the matter as Biyuki smirked to herself, Mizuki sighing when she saw the smirk and shaking her head.

"…Mizuki, can I ask you something?" Hajime wondered, holding her back as the others went inside.

"Of course Hajime."

"Is…Is Biyuki using Gundham to get to Nagito?" Hajime questioned. Mizuki gave a little nervous eeehhh look.

"…Maybe a bit, but she also likes Gundham too, so, she's killing two birds with one stone, getting close to Gundham and making Nagito jealous through it…" Mizuki reasoned, "So…We'll see what happens?" Hajime nodded, the two walking inside. It seems they had missed a bit of the action though.

"Ah, Hajime, Mizuki, there you are…you two got here at just the perfect time…" Sonia stated as they came inside, Kazuichi glaring at Nagito who smiled at him, Gundham looking bored and Biyuki just looking happy but every now and then glaring at Kazuichi, "I've gotten a huge scoop! I've made a terrible discovery!"

"A terrible discovery…?" Hajime muttered.

"U…Um… I have something to say too…" The two looked over to see Mikan, looking at them nervously, "I'm sure it's not as important as Sonia's information, but… I…I noticed something else…"

"…You too, Mikan?" Hajime questioned.

"Well! The investigation's picking up just in time for the climax!" Nagito cheered. Hajime decided to listen to Sonia first, since she seemed to be more urgent about it.

"Please listen! I have a huge scoop! A huge huge huuuuuuuge scoop!" Sonia assured them.

"Sure, we get it. What is it?" Hajime wondered.

"It's all about that 'Sunny Witch Esper Itou-chan' mask we found next to the body!"

"Yeah… the mask the culprit used to conceal their face…"

"No, that's not it! That mask wasn't there just for that purpose!"

"What other purpose could it have?" Hajime questioned.

"Well, cosplay for one." Mizuki stated, giving a small joking smirk.

"It's Kirakira-chan!" Sonia asserted, ignoring the joke, but Biyuki looked up alarmed.

"…Huh?"

"Kirakira-chan! The specter of humanity's darkest desires! The self-proclaimed warrior of justice! A serial killer who wears hero masks from the world over, and kills criminals one after another!" Sonia told them.

"You know about serial killers?" Biyuki wondered.

"Of course! I do extensive studies." Sonia told her.

"Hmm…A serial killer who claims to fight for justice…" Gundham contemplated.

"Sounds more like an anti-hero to me." Mizuki commented, Sonia noticing the lack of shock in Mizuki and Hajime.

"Hajime, Mizuki, this is a most improper time for silence! Act more shocked at once!" She demanded.

"This 'Kirakira-chan'… isn't that the serial killer you were talking about before, Sonia?" Peko wondered, "That is certainly a hero mask, but…"

"More accurately, a heroine mask! Sunny Witch Esper Itou-chan is a pretty magical girl witch! See? A heroine!" Sonia asserted.

"I'll need to check this anime out at some point…Sonia seems very passionate about it…" Mizuki muttered to herself.

"A…Anyway… Are you saying it's possible that a serial killer murdered Mahiru?" Peko wondered.

"Or, in other words… that one of us is a serial killer?" Nagito questioned, "That sounds like a plot twist from some kind of weird game or something…"

"It would be so cool to meet a real life serial killer!~" Biyuki chirped, stars in her eyes as she imagined it.

"Don't be an idiot… Really? A serial killer? That mask's only here to keep the culprit's face hidden. That's all." Hajime asserted.

"…Nevertheless, the culprit chose one really extravagant mask." Nagito pointed out.

"That might be true, but…" Hajime trailed off.

"It's easy to dismiss it as simple foolishness, but I think it would be wise to stay alert. Sonia… Can you at least tell us what you know about this…'Kirakira-chan'?" Peko requested.

"The time has come to don this mask, imbued with the very essence of justice, and lay bare the ugly entrails of evil…" Sonia started.

'… **Huh?'** Hajime wondered to himself.

"Oh! OHH!" Biyuki chirped, joining in with her.

"Jus ・ tice ・ Com ・ plete!" The two said together, "Piercing the very night itself with the shining light of justice's brightest star! Call me Kirakira-chan!" When they finished they both struck a pose then there was silence for a while.

"Um, what… was that?" Hajime questioned.

"That was Kirakira-chan's catch phrase… Or, at least, that's what they say it is." Sonia told them.

"A serial killer… with a catch phrase?" Hajime questioned.

"I restate what I said earlier about them sounding more like an anti-hero." Mizuki stated, crossing her arms and giving a nod.

"I read it in a magazine at the library. Only one journalist has ever actually encountered Kirakira-chan…That magazine printed Kirakira-chan's words as he heard them, so I just had to translate it." Sonia replied excitedly, "Unfortunately, that journalist was also ultimately put to rest by Kirakira-chan…"

"…It's not the safest thing in the world to involve yourself with a serial killer." Nagito mentioned.

"You are the last person I wanted to hear these words from." Peko muttered.

"Wait, if you had to translate it, then how do you know Biyuki?" Hajime wondered.

"Oh, I had Mizuki translate it for me a while back." Biyuki replied, "Since it's in Spanish she could read it for me, though she wasn't very happy to do so."

"Um… That's all I know about Kirakira-chan. Because of the mask, no one knows their age or sex. Kirakira-chan's existence is a mysterious one indeed…" Sonia told them, "Biyuki may know more than me…"

"I'm afraid not unfortunately, I am much more knowledgeable on Genocider Syo's work." Biyuki admitted, "The way they kill is akin to a work of art!~ Though I do admire Kirakira-chan's message and reasons."

"Um… Don't you think you're jumping to conclusions way too fast here? It's ridiculous, having a serial killer among us…" Hajime replied, trying to push the thought away.

"No, they are not among us… It's possible the serial killer was already hiding on the island before we got here, and killed Mahiru!" Sonia stated, "Or, it is also possible that they arrived later, while we were distracted by Mizuki and Biyuki's arrival."

"T…That can't be right, can it…?" Nagito questioned with a smile.

"I think that's the only possible explanation… I mean… I refuse to believe any other possibility." Sonia asserted, "No one in our ranks could be that kind of loathsome villain…I'll never believe it! Never!"

"S…Sonia…" Hajime started, but Mizuki put a hand on his shoulder to stop him, shaking her head. Letting her believe what she would for now was the better option…Hajime giving a small nod, then turning to Mikan.

"You said you noticed something too, didn't you, Mikan?" Hajime questioned.

"B…But, compared to other people my opinions aren't that important…Y…You shouldn't expect too much…I don't want you to be disappointed…" Mikan stuttered.

"You shouldn't worry. So, what is it?" Hajime requested again.

"Um… I did my best to examine the body, and I have some results…As expected, Mahiru's fatal wound was made by a blow to the head. It seems to have been a single blow from behind… And the weapon was undeniably the metal bat." Mikan told them, "If there's one consolation, though, it's that Mahiru probably died without suffering."

"What do you mean?"

"Um… You see… S…She probably… I mean, she definitely… died instantly."

"…She did?" Hajime questioned, looking back to Mahiru's body.

"I found one more thing…" Mikan stated, them all turning to her and startling her, "Ah! I'm sorry! I spoke out of turn! Am I holding you up?"

"…Just tell me." Hajime requested.

"Please." Mizuki added.

"Um, you see… When I was examining the body, I found something in Mahiru's pocket." Mikan told them, handing the note over.

 **I wanted to tell you directly, but I couldn't find you so I'm putting this in your mailbox.**

 **Regarding what we talked about earlier, how about we change the time and the location?**

 **Let's make it 2:30 at the beach house on the second island.**

 **I think there are people who want to interfere with our meeting.**

 **So, let's keep this a secret, and try to avoid each other before we get there.**

 **It would be bad if we're found out.**

 **\- Hiyoko Saionji**

"T…This letter…!" Hajime exclaimed.

"If this is real, it means Hiyoko met Mahiru…" Mikan trailed off.

"…And their meeting was in this beach house 30 minutes before Mahiru died." Hajime agreed.

"I…I tried to think about what it could all mean…" Mikan muttered, tearing up, "Sniff! I couldn't make heads or tails of it." Mizuki came over and comforted her, Hajime reluctantly looking over to Nagito, knowing it was time to talk to him.

"Okay, let's hear what you have to say. Do you know whose footprints these are? And if you do, how?" Hajime demanded.

"After we finished talking to everyone at the airport earlier, I proceeded to a certain place.…Or, you might say I snuck into a certain place. Well… places." Nagito admitted with a small smile, "I went visiting everyone's cottages."

"You did what?!" Hajime growled.

"I told Monokuma it was required for the investigation, so he let me in." Nagito told him.

"How can he do these things so calmly?!"

"Let me explain why I did what I did." Nagito replied, going next to the beach house's entrance and putting several pieces of paper on the ground, next to the footprints, "Take a look Hajime. I mean, I went through a lot of trouble getting all these."

"With my help…" Biyuki muttered, huffing slightly.

"T…These are…!" Hajime exclaimed as he looked at the papers, each one an outline of a shoe with a name under them, "I see… You were looking for footprints to compare…"

"That's right. I found footprints and shoes left in each room, and copied them. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a complete set. Fuyuhiko didn't leave his room except for when we forced him to, and went right back before we could get out of there." Nagito sighed before shrugging, "But it's not such a big deal. It seems we have a perfect match right here."

"S…So whose footprints are they…?" Hajime wondered.

"They're Hiyoko Saionji's." Nagito answered.

"Hiyoko's…?"

"If I may be entirely honest, one of the reasons I called Hiyoko to the airport was to get her out of her room. Before that, she'd locked herself in. There was no way I could get in there…I thought if I lured her out of there, she'll end up escaping somewhere else." Nagito admitted, "Luckily she didn't go back to her cottage right away. The small footprints I found in her room fit the ones in front of the beach house perfectly. There's no question about it. These are Hiyoko's footprints."

"There is one more small thing. I found another important thing in her cottage." Biyuki cut in, Hajime turning to her.

"…There's more?"

"There was a large amount of this candy stacked in her cottage." Biyuki told him.

"That's…!"

"Oh yeah, the Gummies." Nagito remembered, "Each bag has a mix of strawberry, melon, grape and orange-flavored gummies. It seems she got them at the supermarket…"

"I think she's fond of this particular brand." Biyuki told him, handing the bag over, "There are many other gummies in the supermarket, but she only stockpiled this one. You see it often. Some people will only eat one type of potato chips."

"S…So you think that's important?" Hajime wondered.

"No. I have no clue if it has anything to do with the murder. I just thought I'd let you know." Biyuki stated with a shrug, but Hajime saw a small smile playing on Nagito's lips…it was probably best to remember it, just in case. Suddenly, a 'ding dong ding dong' rang out, everyone turning to the nearest monitor as Monokuma appeared.

"The time for poking about is done! The time for fighting it out has come! It's the ultimate battle of wits for your lives! It's the fight for your right to survive! Who lives?! Who dies?! Who's guilty?! Who isn't?! It's the second! School! Triiiiiiial!" Monokuma announced, "By which I mean… Would all students please gather at Monokuma Rock! The hidden elevator will be waiting to take you underground. Upupupu… See you later!" And with that the monitor turned off once more.

"…It's time. Seems like our investigation is over." Nagito stated, "It finally begins. The school trial, where hope goes against hope…But, it's all going to be okay! Whoever wins in the end, it's still hope! Let's go and prove that!"

"What're you so excited about?!" Kazuichi demanded.

"Don't bother arguing with him. Let's just go. We'll have to deal with him in Monokuma's court." Hajime muttered.

"We can't run away. Our only option is to move forward. Come." Peko told them, leaving and the rest of them following.

"I don't wanna! Lemme go! Somebody, save meeeee! Waaaaaaaaah! You're hurting me!" Hiyoko whined as she was dragged onto the beach in front of Monokuma rock by Monokuma.

"Hey! Keep quiet, you brat! You sure are a lousy loser, aren't you!" Monokuma yelled.

"W…Wait! You can't be violent against girls!" Monomi warned.

"W…What's going on here?" Hajime questioned.

"It seems Hiyoko tried to run away, but Monokuma caught her and brought her here…And then she still tried to run away, so Monokuma decided to employ the full nelson." Nekomaru explained.

"Keep quiet or I'll drop you straight into this island's food chain!" Monokuma yelled.

"Uu… Sniff…" Hiyoko sniffled.

"Honestly… The things I have to do…And she's not even the only problem here!" Monokuma cried out, "Where's Fuyuhiko?! He really did it, didn't he! He thinks he can just throw away our promises! How… annoying… Ahhh…. ahhh….." And then in a flash, Monokuma was very angry and for some reason had pecs and a six pack of abs.

"Eeeeeek! He got so mad he hulked out!" Ibuki screamed.

"…If you're looking for me, I'm right here." Fuyuhiko told him.

"…Huh?"

"Oh, you're here, Fuyuhiko. I was starting to get worried." Chiaki remarked.

"It's not like we can run away… We just have to accept whatever happens, don't we?" Fuyuhiko gave a look to a brightly smiling Mizuki, not one of embarrassment this time, but an unreadable determination, almost like a quiet anger, "But, still…I'm Yakuza to the core! If you're looking for someone who hates to lose, you've found them!"

"Fuyuhiko, what do you…" Hajime went to say to him.

"Sigh… Whatever. If it makes for an exciting trial, do as you please. Anyway, seems like everyone's here, so let's get going!" Monokuma declared, "I'm going up ahead!" And with that, he disappeared again.

"Seriously… I'm still not prepared mentally…" Kazuichi muttered.

"…We don't have time for that, y'know." Akane told him.

"Yeah, don't be a whiner Kazuichi." Biyuki huffed.

"If you run out of strength, use your reserves! DON'T TELL ME YOU DON'T HAVE ANY!" Nekomaru shouted.

"Hmhmhm… The end… it begins." Gundham muttered.

"C'mon, let's do our best! I'm sure we can find that bright light of hope!" Nagito chirped happily.

"I am a Yakuza. I don't run away or hide…" Fuyuhiko scoffed, looking to Mizuki again with a frown.

"Mahiru… Why Mahiru…?" Mikan sniffled, "Waaaaaah… I…It's too much…!" they turned to see the rock rumble before the escalator came down.

"Eeek! Every time I see it, it gets nastier! This is vulgar, ugly and in poor taste!" Monomi yelled. Slowly, one by one, they all climbed the escalator, entering the head and the elevator as they went down.


End file.
